Carlo Ancelotti's side could easily have won by a more comfortable margin but in the end had to settle for the two-goal success.

Filippo Inzaghi's 13th goal of the season put them in front in the 27th minute and Kaka, the provider for the first, scored the second himself six minutes into the second period when David Beckham's header was parried into his path by Catania goalkeeper Tomas Kosicky.

The result meant the Rossoneri still trailed Jose Mourinho's team by seven points with four games to play.

Inter had kept up their march towards the Scudetto with a 2-0 win over Lazio at the San Siro last night.

Juventus slipped four points behind Milan in third after being held to a 2-2 draw at home to relegation-threatened Lecce.

Cedric Konan put Lecce in front in the 11th minute but a Pavel Nedved brace looked to have secured maximum points for Claudio Ranieri's men until Jose Ignacio Castillo snatched a last-gasp leveller.

Fiorentina are still the favourites for the fourth and final Champions League qualification slot after Juan Vargas' second-half strike proved enough to beat Torino at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.

The Peruvian defender was rewarded for an energetic display with the only goal 12 minutes into the second half, with Torino remaining just a point above the relegation zone.

Genoa remain a point behind Fiorentina in fifth after Diego Milito's hat-trick helped them claim a 3-1 derby victory over Sampdoria in the evening kick-off.

The hosts ended the game with nine men after seeing Matteo Ferrari and Thiago Motta sent off in the final three minutes while Samp lost Hugo Campagnaro to a late red card.

Earlier, Campagnaro had replied to Milito's 30th-minute opener on the stroke of half-time before two second-half goals from the Argentinian completed a 3-1 victory for the Rossoblu.

Roma's top-four hopes faded further as they were held to a goalless draw by Chievo at the Stadio Olimpico, a result which took the Verona club six points above 18th-placed Bologna.

Domenico di Carlo's men frustrated the Giallorossi and held on for a point despite having Giampiero Pinzi sent off in stoppage time.

Palermo remain right in the hunt for Europa League qualification after a 5-1 win over Cagliari at La Favorita.

Five different players were on target as Davide Ballardini's side made it four wins in a row at home and Palermo have now accrued 39 of their 52 points this season in Sicily.

Goals from Giulio Migliaccio and Fabrizio Miccoli put the home side in command at half-time, and although Cagliari pulled one back through Capucho Jedaias just after the break, further strikes from Giovanni Tedesco, Edison Cavani and Davide Succi sealed a comprehensive victory.

Udinese, the last Italian club to bow out of European competition after their run to the UEFA Cup quarter-finals, kept up their hopes of a return visit to the rebranded Europa League with a 3-0 win over Atalanta thanks to a brace from Fabio Quagliarella and one from Giovanni Pasquale late on.

Siena guaranteed their Serie A status with a 2-1 win over Napoli in Tuscany thanks to first-half goals from Houssine Kharja and Massimo Maccarone.

Inacio Pia pulled a goal back for the visitors 10 minutes from the end but it was too little too late for Roberto Donadoni's men, who have not won on the road since beating Lazio on October 26.