Inter Milan, forced to play with 10 men for more than an hour, held on for a goalless draw at Udinese in Serie A on Saturday while champions Juventus enjoyed a comfortable 2-0 win at Reggina.
Udinese midfielder David Pizarro missed a 66th-minute penalty as the north-eastern side failed to make the most of the 17th-minute dismissal of Inter's Brazilian winger Luciano.
An under-strength Juventus move clear at the top before Sunday's games, thanks to goals from Marco Di Vaio and Pavel Nedved.
Inter, without injured striker Christian Vieri, suffered an early blow at a ground where they have failed to win for five years, when former Chievo winger Luciano was dismissed for a tackle from behind on Marek Jankulovski.
Hector Cuper's side struggled to regain the intiative as Udinese pushed forward before the break but Luciano Spalletti's side failed to creat much in the way of real chances.
Just before the break Inter had to reorganise again when Marco Materazzi limped off with a thigh injury.
The first real test for Inter keeper Francesco Toldo came from a Giampiero Pinzi drive in the 53rd minute.
Shortly afterwards Udinese had a great chance when Inter defender Thomas Helveg was ruled to have pulled down Dino Fava Passaro but Pizzaro fired the spot-kick wide.
Udinese's Danish defender Kroldrup was sent off five minutes before the end and with the game 10 against 10 Inter almost stole a winner when Javier Zanetti's long-range drive thudded against the post.
Inter have now kept a clean sheet in all four games of the season.
EARLY LEAD
Juventus, with Di Vaio leading the attack in the absence of the injured Alessandro Del Piero and David Trezeguet, took the lead in the 13th minute after Reggina keeper Emanuele Belardi failed to deal with a low cross from Nedved and Di Vaio pounced to fire home from close range.
Czech international Nedved made it 2-0 five minutes after the restart with a smart finish following a swift counter-attack from Marcello Lippi's side.
Reggina twice struck the woodwork and Juve keeper Gianluigi Buffon had to make two good saves from Reggina's Honduran substitute Julio Cesar Leon in the latter stages but the victory never looked in doubt.
The Calabrian side had defender Andrea Sottil sent off five minutes from time for a second bookable offence.
Lippi was delighted with his team, who were also without first-choice defenders Lilian Thuram and Nicola Legrottaglie.
"I am an extremely satisfied coach this evening," the Juve coach told Italy's Sky Sport.
"We have three points from a very difficult ground to come and get a result at. Reggina are always at you and they have plenty of quality as well as determination.
"When you have players out and others come in and give you this kind of result and performance, then it is really pleasing," added Lippi.
More from rediff