Sulley Muntari and Wesley Sneijder were on target to give Serie A leaders Inter Milan a 2-1 win over Catania at the San Siro on Saturday. Ghana midfielder Muntari put the champions in front on 13 minutes when his lob into the box towards Samuel Eto'o was allowed to bounce into goal as Catania keeper Andrea Campagnolo stood motionless.
Dutchman Sneijder curled in a splendid right-footed free kick to double the lead just past the half hour mark shortly after Patrick Vieira had thrashed the ball against the bar from short range.
Inter looked comfortable until Catania substitute Giuseppe Mascara set up a nervy finale by converting a penalty six minutes from time, given when Inter keeper Julio Cesar brought down Gianvito Plasmati after spilling a shot. But the hosts held on for a triumph that gave them 22 points from nine games, two more than second-placed Sampdoria, who had briefly occupied the top spot by thrashing 10-man Bologna 4-1.
"I'm happy with how we played in the first half and how we fought in the second," Inter boss Jose Mourinho, whose side's winless run in the Champions League continued with a 2-2 draw with Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday, told Sky television.
"It's never easy after a Champions League match. I changed a few players. We had some chances to close the match which we didn't take and then everything changed with their goal. "It gave Catania hope, put us under pressure and the result was in doubt until the end."