TREVISO - Inter beat Treviso 1-0 at the Omobono Tenni on Wednesday and close the gap on league leaders Juventus to eight points as the Bianconeri were held 1-1 at Chievo in Serie A Week 20.
With Obafemi Martins away on international duty, Roberto Mancini partnered Julio Cruz alongside Adriano in attack. Argentines Burdisso and Kily Gonzalez came in for disqualified pair Favalli and Stankovic, while Veron returned in midfield after missing Sunday's victory over Cagliari due to suspension.
Treviso threatened the Inter goal in the opening period, Julio Cesar saving Parravicini's low shot from the distance before Borriello headed over the crossbar with the Brazilian keeper off his line. In between, Zancopè tipped over Cambiasso's header from a Veron free kick.
Inter broke the deadlock on 23 minutes when Julio Cruz headed in a Burdisso cross from the left for his seventh league goal of the season.
Cavasin's men kept their nerve and went close to an equaliser through Pinga, whose curling free kick hit the bar, then Kily made a crucial interception in the Nerazzurri area to deny Maggio a scoring chance. At the other end Adriano crashed a diagonal shot on to the post after meeting a long ball forward from Veron.
Chances were few and far between in the second half as both defences kept things tight at the back. Inter went closer than their Veneto opponents, Zancopè keeping out a low shot by Cruz before Adriano volleyed wide from close range. Treviso's best chance of the second half fell to Borriello who rose above Javier Zanetti to head over a Vascak cross.
At the Giuseppe Meazza this Saturday Inter host Palermo, 4-2 winners over Parma tonight.
TREVISO 0-1 INTER (HT: 0-1)
Scorer: Cruz 23
TREVISO: 34 Zancopè; 25 Dellafiore, 55 Viali, 21 Gustavo, 6 Valdez; 30 Maggio, 75 E.Filippini (18 Baseggio 80), 5 Parravicini, 28 Pinga (9 Vascak 69), 7 Guigou (27 Reginaldo 56); 11 Borriello
Subs not used: 1 Handanovic, 4 Cottafava, 14 A.Filippini, 20 Giuliatto
Coach: Alberto Cavasin
INTER: 12 Julio Cesar; 4 J.Zanetti, 2 Cordoba, 25 Samuel, 3 Burdisso; 7 Figo, 14 Veron, 19 Cambiasso, 18 Kily Gonzalez (23 Materazzi 90+1); 9 Cruz, 10 Adriano
Subs not used: 1 Toldo, 6 C.Zanetti, 8 Pizarro, 11 Mihajlovic, 21 Solari, 33 Wome
Coach: Roberto Mancini
Referee: Marco Gabriele (Frosinone)
Bookings: Parravicini 3, Burdisso 11, Kily Gonzalez 19, Gustavo 73
