| It was far from a vintage performance, but Inter surge seven points clear after Julio Cruz and David Suazo sank Cagliari 2-0. The Nerazzurri had to do without the suspended Zlatan Ibrahimovic, while Patrick Vieira, Dejan Stankovic, Olivier Dacourt, Luis Jimenez and Luis Figo remained sidelined with injury. Cagliari surprisingly dropped Italian international Pasquale Foggia in the wake of the scandal involving an attack on teammate Davide Marchini and needed something spectacular to avoid defeat after picking up one point from four games under Nedo Sonetti.
Last season this tie ended 1-1 and David Suazo was playing for the Sardinians, but returned to face them as an opponent for the first time after 94 goals in 254 games between Serie A and B over eight years. Inter were undefeated here since a 1-0 result in September 1993. It was the home side that had the first chance, Esteban Cambiasso clearing to the edge of the box where Daniele Conti's strike skimmed the frame of the goal. Robert Acquafresca couldn't get enough power to his sliding finish and Conti's free kick was over, as Inter got off to a very sluggish start. The Nerazzurri finally had a shot on goal after 28 minutes, Suazo holding up the ball for Hernan Crespo to sidefoot just wide from the edge of the box. A ricochet did not fall kindly for Julio Cruz following good work from Douglas Maicon. However, a moment of magic almost broke the deadlock, as Cristian Chivu attempted an audacious strike from 30 metres that dipped to crack against the crossbar. In the second half Crespo couldn't make the most of an acrobatic Cambiasso assist and Marruocco comfortably controlled another Chivu shot from distance. Inter missed an open goal on 54 minutes. Again Chivu unleashed a fierce strike and Marruocco parried it only as far as Suazo, but the Honduran incredibly side-footed wide from nine yards! The Nerazzurri finally opened the scoring with a wonderful moment of individual skill from Cruz. He ran on to Suazo's assist on the edge of the box and, while everyone expected a pass to Crespo at the far post, Il Jardinero placed a snooker-shot into the near bottom corner of the net. Marruocco had his palms stung by Suazo and did well to block Cruz's follow-up with an outstretched foot, although the Argentine was by this point in an offside position. Joaquin Larrivey came on for a very attack-minded Cagliari line-up, but they rarely threatened. Instead Cruz got in front of Marruocco for a header that Ferri had to clear off the line. From the resulting corner kick, Marruocco parried Ivan Cordoba's header and Suazo tapped in from a yard. He refused to celebrate as a gesture of affection for his former club. Cagliari goalkeeper Marruocco kept the scoreline down at full stretch on Cesar Aparecido's angled drive. | 
