Cesena were relegated from Serie A after defeat by table-topping Juventus, while AC Milan remained in the title race.
Wins for Napoli, Inter, Parma and Fiorentina on Wednesday
Cesena were relegated from Serie A on Wednesday after defeat by table-topping Juventus, while AC Milan remained in the race for the title with a win over struggling Genoa.
Napoli closed the gap on third-placed Lazio, and Inter Milan, Parma and Fiorentina all won in the day's other action.
Substitute Marco Borriello struck nine minutes from time to hand Serie A leaders
Juventus a 1-0 victory at Cesena, a result that condemns the home side to Serie B football next season.
The win at the Dino Manuzzi stadium sees Juve remain three points clear of AC Milan at the top of the standings with four games remaining.
Kevin-Prince Boateng kept
AC Milan in the Serie A title hunt and sent the club who brought him to Italy closer to relegation with the only goal against
Genoa.
The Ghana international kept Milan's Scudetto challenge on track with an 86th-minute goal in a frustrating match for Massimiliano Allegri's hosts.
Genoa, who remain just one point above the relegation zone, lost Bosko Jankovic to a red card midway through the second half.
Late winner
Genoa had their third coach of the season on the bench, with Luigi De Canio replacing Alberto Malesani after his second spell in charge came to an end after Sunday's 4-1 defeat at home to Siena.
Inter Milan drew level on points with
Udinese following a 3-1 victory at the Stadio Friuli as the battle for places in Europe intensifies.
Danilo gave Udinese the lead in the sixth minute, but two goals from Wesley Sneijder turned the game in Inter's favour before Ricardo Alvarez added another before the break.
The result was harsh on the home side, who did all of the attacking, but just failed to turn their dominance into goals as Inter drew level in the table with five clubs now vying for third place.
Napoli moved into fourth place in Serie A after goals from Marek Hamsik and Edison Cavani at
Lecce kept alive their prospects of UEFA Champions League football.
The visitors scored at the start of either half to move within a point of third-placed Lazio.
Fiorentina midfielder Andrea Lazzari struck a late winner to dent
Roma's European ambitions.
Misery
Stevan Jovetic got the Viola off to a dream start with a glancing header from Lazzari's cross to put the visitors ahead after two minutes.
Roma struggled to break down a resolute Fiorentina defence but captain Francesco Totti managed to equalise 19 minutes from time.
Fiorentina then stunned the home crowd at the Stadio Olimpico, with Lazzari making no mistake in front of goal, while the home side finished the game with 10 men after striker Daniel Osvaldo was given his marching orders.
Novara maintained hope of staying in Serie A with a 2-1 win over
Lazio - and complicated the Biancoceleste's push for a Champions League spot in the process.
An own goal from Mobido Diakite put Novara in front against the run of play in the 35th minute, but Antonio Candreva replied immediately.
As Lazio pushed for a winner, former Napoli striker Giuseppe Mascara did his ex-club a favour with a winner for the Piedmontese side, who cannot now be mathematically relegated until at least the weekend.
Parma boosted their Serie A survival hopes and heaped yet more home misery on
Palermo with a 2-1 victory at La Favorita.
After falling behind to an early Abel Hernandez strike, Parma secured their third straight win thanks to second-half efforts by Stefano Okaka and Jonathan Biabiany.
The three points lifted the visitors into ninth place, nine points clear of danger and now almost certainly assured of safety with just four games remaining.
Bologna extended their unbeaten run to four games as they earned a valuable point at Siena with a 1-1 draw.
Mattia Destro had put Siena ahead early in the second half before Bologna striker Alessandro Diamanti equalised with a free-kick with 21 minutes remaining.
Neither side could find a winner as both teams were happy to settle for a point apiece at the Artemio Franchi stadium in their battle to remain in Serie A.
