Inter beat Livorno to go 16 points clear

ROME, Mar 3 (Reuters) Serie A leaders Inter Milan extended their advantage to 16 points by coming from behind to win 2-1 at Livorno today.

Trailing to Cristiano Lucarelli's goal, the Italian champions hit back through Julio Cruz and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, then hung on with 10 men after the 83rd-minute dismissal of defender Douglas Maicon.

Inter have 70 points from 26 matches. Second-placed AS Roma lost ground on the leaders when they were held to a 1-1 draw by basement club Ascoli.

Palermo lie third on 45 points and play Messina tomorrow.

AC Milan will draw level on points with fourth-placed Lazio if they beat Chievo Verona at the San Siro stadium in a later match kickoff.

Inter's win meant normal service was resumed after their midweek 1-1 draw with Udinese - a result that broke their record-breaking 17-match winning streak in the division.

Lucarelli gave Livorno an unexpected lead with a 27th-minute free kick.

Cruz pulled Inter level shortly after when he volleyed in an Ibrahimovic cross.

Sweden striker Ibrahimovic capped a superb individual performance midway through the second half by curling home a free kick from the edge of the area.

Inter were easily in control but made life complicated for themselves late on. When Maicon was shown a yellow card, the Brazilian's sarcastic applause prompted referee Emidio Morganti to turn it to red.

A minute later Inter coach Roberto Mancini followed his player away from the pitch, his furious reaction earning a red card of his own.

Roma paid the price for fielding a second-string side at Ascoli.

Several first-team regulars, including winger Mancini, playmaker Rodrigo Taddei, and midfielders Simone Perrotta and Daniele De Rossi, were left out of the starting 11 as coach Luciano Spalletti looked forward to next week's Champions League match against Olympique Lyon.

Ascoli striker Andrea Soncin took advantage, firing his side ahead in the 31st minute.

Christian Wilhelmsson scored Roma's equaliser five minutes from time - the Swedish international's first goal for the club since arriving from Nantes in January.

REUTERS SY MIR RAI2216