Five-star Inter crush Genoa

Midfielder Dejan Stankovic netted with a remarkable volley from the halfway line to help Inter Milan triumph 5-0 at Genoa to surge clear at the top of Serie A on Saturday.

With one touch the powerful Serb hooked the ball in during first-half stoppage time when Genoa goalkeeper Marco Amelia was caught out of position after mis-hitting a clearance.

Clinical Inter were already 2-0 up at that point despite being without striker Samuel Eto'o and former Genoa forward Diego Milito.

Esteban Cambiasso gave the champions a sixth-minute lead when his effort was deflected in by Francesco Modesto and lone striker Mario Balotelli then confidently slotted in a first-time shot after Wesley Sneijder's neat pass.

Halftime substitute Patrick Vieira added the fourth and right back Maicon made it five with another classy finish.

Jose Mourinho's physical side, whose only loss this term came in Genoa against Sampdoria, should have had more while the hosts could only look back at a failed penalty appeal and Omar Milanetto's effort disallowed for a tight offside.

Inter will be rejoined at the top if Sampdoria win at Lazio on Sunday but have opened a four-point gap over Juventus and Fiorentina, who drew 1-1 in Turin.

Juan Manuel Vargas put visitors Fiorentina ahead on five minutes when he latched on to Stevan Jovetic's clever pass and prodded home at the near post.

Striker Amauri then tapped in his first goal since February to level for Juve, who have not won in five outings.

"For sure I was lacking goals. I'm happy for the goal but less so for the result as we should have done better," Amauri told Sky television.

"We are in a particular moment and we've got to get out of it."

Former Fiorentina midfielder Felipe Melo headed just over in the second half but Ciro Ferrara's side lacked fluency with playmaker Diego again struggling and Mohamed Sissoko feeling his way back after seven months out with a broken foot.

Fiorentina had a Vargas goal disallowed for a push.