Reserve midfielder Jimenez, who scored in midweek when Inter reached the Champions League knockout stages with a 3-0 win over Fenerbahce, popped up again with a neat goal but Ibrahimovic was instrumental throughout the match.

The in-form striker forced Sebastien Frey into an excellent first-half save and two even better stops in the second period, having set up Cruz just before the break.

Roma took the lead against Udinese on 10 minutes when Brazil defender Juan tapped in after Francesco Giuly's effort had been saved.

Italy forward Fabio Quagliarella equalised straight away for high-flying Udinese but Rodrigo Taddei put Roma ahead on 27.

Udinese had Gianpiero Pinzi and Andrea Dossena dismissed within a minute of each other in the second half but still could have snatched a point when Antonio Floro Flores spurned a clear chance late on.

Inter, on 31 points, and Roma, on 28, have games in hand on Wednesday when they host Lazio and Cagliari respectively. The matches were postponed last month after a Lazio fan was killed by a police bullet at a service station.

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