MARCO BRANCA'S fifth minute strike for Internazionale brought arch rivals Milan's 19 match unbeaten run to a halt yesterday, but the injury hit league leaders are six points clear at the top.
The striker, showing the opportunism that has given him 14 goals in 23 games this season, burst through the Milan defence to unleash a powerful shot that left Sebastiano Rossi helpless.
Without the injured Dejan Savicevic, Zvonimir Boban and Demetrio Albertini, Milan's best hope of an equaliser lay with George Weah but the giant Liberian had to contend with the inspired goalkeeping of Gianluca Pagliuca.
When Weah left Stefanio Eranio with a clearcut chance in the 30th minute, the former Italian number one parried his shot. The forward tried himself in the 30th minute but again Pagliuca came to Inter's rescue.
Branca underlined Inter's superiority on the night when only the point of Rossi's toe denied him a second in the 70th minute.
It was Milan's first defeat since losing to Bari on October 1 and Inter's fifth consecutive victory, convincing proof of their revival under English coach Roy Hodgson.
Despite the rare setback, Milan enjoy a comfortable cushion at the top, with second place Fiorentina left to rue a 1-1 draw a bottom of the table Bari earlier in the day.
In Germany, Stefan Effenberg scored one goal and set up another as Borussia Moenchengladbach beat Hansa Rostock 3-2 last night to move into third place in the Bundesliga.
The Moenchengladbach captain opened the scoring vith a vicious shot in the 17th minute. He set up his side's second with a superb run on the left before crossing to Jorgen Pettersson, who tapped the ball home from close range.
The win left Moenchengladbach with 34 points from 21 games, trailing second placed Bayern Munich, who have played a game more, by 10 points. Borussia Dortmund lead the table with 45 points from 21 games.
Rostock, the only East German side in the Bundesliga, made Moenchengladbach fight for their victory, with goals in the 22nd and 63rd minutes. Thomas Kastenmaier scored the home side's third with a 49th minute penalty.
In Spain, Atletico Madrid failed to take advantage of Barcelona's 4-1 defeat to Valencia, yesterday, losing 2-0 at home to struggling Valladolid, though they remain eight points ahead.
Atletico lost to two late goals from 20 year old Croatian striker Alen Peternac, in the 79th and 91st minutes.
However, Barcelona's challenge looked to have come to an end, and that perhaps of coach Johann Cruyff, on Saturday when they were humiliated by Valencia.
Valencia went three up in a hectic 10 minute spell either side of half time. Midfielder Fernando, scored in the 40th minute, Brazilian star Viola in the 43rd and Yugoslavian midfielder Pedrag Mijatovic added the third in the 48th minute.
Shell shocked Barcelona replied through veteran mid fielder Guillermo Amor in the 69th minute but Mijatovic added to their misery with his second and Valencia's fourth in the 87th minute.
