Inter Milan maintained their one-point lead at the top of Serie A as all the top three posted victories on Saturday.

Mario Balotelli made a goalscoring return for the champions after his midweek apology to the club netting the second in a3-0 home thrashing of Bologna at the San Siro.

Mirko Vucinic scored the only goal of the game as second-placed AS Roma triumphed 1 -0 at Bari while AC Milan stayed three points off top with a 3-2 success at Cagliari.

Inter came into their game in poor league form having won only two of their previous nine matches butthey dominated from start to finish despite suffer-ing from a number of suspensions, notably captain Javier Zanetti, Cameroon forward Samuel Eto'o and Brazilian defenders Maicon and Lucio.

But, having apologised publicly in midweek for his part in a bust up with coach Jose Mourinho, Balotelli, who had been frozen out ofthefirstteam picture for the previous six matches, ensured Eto'o's absence was hardly felt.

He was involved in much of Inter's attacking work and got his name on the score sheet with a low right-foot finish from Diego Milito's cross seven minutes after the break.

Brazilian midfielder Thiago Motta had given Inter a first half lead with a low shot from distance just before the half hour mark.

And he rounded off the scoring with a crisp curling left-foot finish five minutes from time after playing a one-two with Dejan Stankovic as he burst into the box.

Roma, who had on paper what appeared to be the toughest weekend test of the top three, produced a professional and controlled performance decided by Vucinic's 19th minute goal in a game of few chances and little action.

Coach Claudio Ranieri was rewarded for his bold team selection of three-pronged attack with Francesco Totti and Vucinic Ranking Luca Toni as the three combined for the winner.

Totti fed Toni on the edge of the box and he slipped in Vucinic running in behind him to finish with aplomb.

Milan's victory came courtesy of a crazy first half in which all five goals were scored.

Marco Borriello opened the scoring on seven minutes after he played a one-two with Clarence Seedorf and then finished right-footed inside the near post. But Daniele Ragatzu levelled matters 10 minutes later with a low shotfromjustinside the area.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar restored Milan's advantage two minutes after that with a long range effort into the top corner but Italy international goalkeeper Federico Marchetti looked like he should have done better.