Italian Football: Mancini an Italian centurion

ON a good day for his club, Roberto Mancini, the Sampdoria captain, reached the landmark of 100 Serie A goals with two strikes in a 4-1 win over Napoli which cut Milan's lead in the Italian league to two points, writes Rupert Metcalf.

Mancini's team-mate, David Platt, was less accurate, the Englishman having a penalty saved before Attilio Lombardo, set up by a superb pass from Vladimir Jugovic, put Sampdoria ahead. Daniel Fonseca had a spot-kick stopped at the other end, but the

Uruguayan equalised for Napoli after the break. Ruud Gullit, with his 11th goal of the season, promptly restored the home side's lead before the late double from Mancini, in his 350th Serie A game.

Internazionale surprisingly went down 1-0 at Reggiana while Milan endured their second 0-0 draw in four days, at home to the bottom club,

Lecce, who collected their first away point of the season.

England's Paul Gascoigne played at Foggia with heavy strapping to protect his cracked rib, but was booked in the first half and was unable to prevent fifth-placed Lazio - who had Giuseppe Favalli sent off - slipping to a 4-1 defeat.

Fourth-placed Parma lost, too: 1-0 at home to Udinese; Tomas Brolin, Parma's Swedish international, also failed from the penalty spot. All four penalties awarded in Serie A yesterday were saved: Torino's Andrea Silenzi, against Piacenza, was the other man to miss.