ROME - Leonardo recorded his fifth straight win as Inter Milan boss as the champion beat Cesena 3-2 at the San Siro on Wednesday to go fourth in Serie A.

Christian Chivu was the unlikely match-winner after goals from Erjon Bogdani and Emanuele Giaccherini had cancelled out Samuel Eto'o and Diego Milito's early strikes for the host.

Cesena finished the game with 10-men after Giaccherini was harshly dismissed 15 minutes from the end.

Inter is now just six points behind city rival and leader AC Milan but with a game in hand.

After continuing his perfect start as Inter boss, Leonardo praised Cesena for its resistance.

"We were managing the game very very well at 2-0 but then Milito got injured and we had to make a change," he said.

"It was a very difficult match, Cesena played very well, they scored two goals and overturned the balance of the game which became a bit of ping-pong.

"In the second half we gave away a lot less and a lot fewer counter-attack opportunities.

"We struggled a lot but this is a very important win."

The host dominated from the off with Goran Pandev stinging Cesena goalkeeper Francesco Antonioli's fingers after just five minutes.

Cesena was struggling to live with its illustrious opponents and around the quarter-hour mark it capitulated twice within a minute.

Eto'o, who was a livewire all evening causing Cesena endless headaches, opened the scoring with a cross shot from a tight angle - his 24th goal in 27 games this season.

The second was immaculately created as Eto'o slipped Pandev in behind the backline and the Macedonia forward laid the ball on a plate for Milito to tap home from six yards.

Inter was enjoying itself and Maicon tried an audacious volley from the right touchline that dipped onto the roof of the net.

The only down side came on 20 minutes as Milito limped off to be replaced by Frenchman Jonathan Biabiany.

Agence France-Presse

(China Daily 01/21/2011 page22)