Rome: Lazio jumped ahead of Inter Milan into second place in Serie A following a 1-0 win at struggling Sampdoria on Sunday in the final Italian league action before the holiday break.
The capital's other club, Roma, beat AC Milan 4-2 to end the Rossoneri's four-match winning streak in the league, with 20-year-old forward Erik Lamela scoring twice at the Stadio Olimpico.
In Genoa, Lazio's Brazil playmaker Hernanes took advantage when Sampdoria goalkeeper Sergio Romero was down on the ground to score in the 31st minute.
It was Samp's first match since former Lazio coach Delio Rossi replaced the fired Ciro Ferrara as manager.
Earlier in the lunchtime fixture, Inter needed an 85th-minute equalizer from Esteban Cambiasso to secure a 1-1 draw at home with Genoa.
Cambiasso headed in eight minutes after Italy under-21 striker Ciro Immobile had given Genoa the lead at the San Siro after dribbling past defender Andrea Ranocchia.
Inter had a chance to win in the 90th but Marko Livaja hit the post from close range.
"We knew it was a [delicate] moment. Even if the result doesn't seem positive today, I want to complement the guys," Inter coach Andrea Stramaccioni said.
Inter were without several injured players, including Dejan Stankovic, Coutinho, Yuto Nagatomo, and Gaby Mudingayi. Meanwhile, playmaker Wesley Sneijder appears set to leave the club amid a contract dispute.
"This break comes at the right time for us. We're hoping to to get some key players back to top form in January," Stramaccioni said. "These five months were important for laying the basis for a great 2013. In January we're going to fight hard, then we'll see whether it's for the title or for second place."
Juventus, who beat Cagliari 3-1 Friday, lead with 44 points. Lazio are next with 36 points, Fiorentina and Inter have 35 each and Napoli have 34.
Fiorentina won 3-0 at Palermo with two goals from Stevan Jovetic, including one with a penalty, and another spot kick from Gonzalo Rodriguez.
Napoli struggled but in the end managed to beat last-place Siena 2-0, ending a four-match losing streak in all competitions. On Tuesday, the southern club was deducted two points for match-fixing in a penalty stemming from a game three seasons ago.
Christian Maggio put Napoli ahead in the 86th from close range by redirecting a cross from Marek Hamsik and Edinson Cavani doubled the lead with a penalty in the 90th for his 13th league goal this season.
In the late game, Nicolas Burdisso put Roma ahead in the 13th with a header following a corner, Pablo Osvaldo met a cross from Francesco Totti to head in another Roma goal in the 23rd and Lamela scored in the 30th after taking a pass from Daniele De Rossi, who was honored before kickoff for his 400th match with Roma.
In the 61st, Lamela added another goal - his 10th of the season - with a header following a cross from Federico Balzaretti.
Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng hit the post in the 71st.
Roma played the final 12 minutes with 10 men after Marquinhos was shown a questionable red card for a last-man foul - a handball. Giampaolo Pazzini pulled one back for Milan with a penalty in the 87th and former Roma forward Bojan Krkic added another for the visitors in the 88th by converting a rebound of a shot from Pazzini.
Roma are sixth with 32 points and Milan are next with 27.
Elsewhere, Parma rallied to beat Bologna 2-1 with goals from Jaime Valdes and Nicola Sansone; Luis Muriel and German Denis traded goals as Udinese drew 1-1 at Atalanta; and Torino beat Chievo Verona with scores from Kamil Glik and Alessandro Gazzi.
The Italian league resumes the weekend of Jan. 5-6.
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