Serie A wrap: Parma stun stuttering Inter, Napoli sink Cagliari

Inter Milan missed a chance to close the gap on Serie A leaders Juventus as they lost 1-0 away to Parma on Monday.

Inter paid the price for a lack of creativity, going down narrowly to the home side, who remain undefeated at the Stadio Ennio Tardini this season.

Andrea Stramaccioni’s side enjoyed the majority of possession throughout but failed to supply enough service to Diego Milito and Rodrigo Palacio up front.

An industrious Parma team were rewarded for their perseverance when Nicola Sansone belted in the game’s only goal 15 minutes from time.

The defeat leaves Inter fourth on the table, four points back from league leaders Juventus, who lost 1-0 away to AC Milan a day earlier.

Winless in three outings, Inter needed a positive result to revive their challenge at the top of the table.

They went close through Fredy Guarin’s early free-kick, while Esteban Cambiasso and Jonathan Biabany also threatened in the first 45 minutes.

The second half proved a more open affair, with Guarin’s 30-yard piledriver forcing Parma goalkeeper Antonio Mirante into action just after the hour mark.

But in the 75th minute, Inter were ultimately punished for the failure to convert one of those numerous chances.

Sansone, who had been quiet for much of the evening, surged into the Inter half and skipped over a weak tackle from Guarin before rifling an effort past Samir Handanovic and into the bottom corner of the goal.

The win sees Parma climb to seventh on the table, three points behind fifth-placed Roma.

In the other match on Monday, Napoli earned a valuable 1-0 win away to Cagliari, Marek Hamsik bagging the winning goal with 17 minutes remaining at the Stadio Is Arenas.

Napoli are now second in the standings, just two points back from champions Juve, while Cagliari are 11th.