Mauro Icardi, Rodrigo Palacio lift Inter Milan over Fiorentina, nearer fourth place

Icardo netted the winner in the second half after Palacio delivered the opening goal in the first half and Inter Milan topped Fiorentina 2-1 on Saturday, bringing them to within five points of the Florence club for fourth in Serie A.

Mauro Icardi, bottom right, celebrates with Rodrigo Palacio, left, and Yuto Nagatomo, top right, after Inter's second goal on Saturday. Fabrizio Giovannozzi / AP

Argentinian Mauro Icardi came off the bench to score a 65th-minute winner for Inter in a 2-1 win at Fiorentina which put Walter Mazzarri’s side within sight of fourth place in Serie A on Saturday.

Inter, looking for only their second win in seven games, started brightly at the Artemio Franchi stadium and were rewarded in the 34th minute when Rodrigo Palacio bundled home from close range.

Although being overrun for long periods, Fiorentina spurned a series of chances before the interval but drew level a minute after the restart thanks to Juan Cuadrado.

Inter, however, maintained much of their first-half momentum and came close to extending their lead on several occasions before Icardi pounced on Yuto Nagatomo’s cross to beat Neto in the hosts’ goal.

Inter’s win kept them in fifth place, and while they lie 21 points adrift of leaders Juventus, the side are now only five points behind Fiorentina in fourth.

“Tonight we played really well, even though we missed a lot of our chances and remained in danger of conceding the equaliser,” Mazzarri told Sky Sport.

Mazzarri has recently refused to comment on refereeing decisions after complaining Inter had been unfairly treated in a series of games – and refused to be drawn on suggestions Icardi’s winner was offside.

“I’ve already said that I won’t comment on refereeing decisions, whether they’re for us or against us.”

Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella said: “I’m not the referee, so whether he saw it or not doesn’t change a thing.

“It was a mistake, we accept it just as we do other, more serious mistakes. But it’s the second home game that we lose in this fashion.”

Fiorentina, still missing injured striker Giuseppe Rossi, had Borja Valero suspended while Mario Gomez replaced Joaquin late on to make his first appearance since September following a long injury lay-off.

Inter had lost five away games in succession but surprised Fiorentina with an energetic start which saw Palacio burst through on the counter on 13 minutes only to see his angled drive come off Neto’s upright.

Neto did well to block Diego Milito from close range and the Argentinian striker then hit the side-netting from a tight angle.

It seemed only a matter of time until Inter broke the deadlock and Palacio’s persistence was rewarded when he chested down Fredy Guarin’s ball to prod it past the onrushing Neto.

Inter paid the price for a lapse of concentration immediately after the restart, though, when Cuadrado sent a curling effort through the visitors’ defence and under Samir Handanovic to level.

Fiorentina briefly had the momentum but failed to build on their leveller.

Icardi, who has been sidelined since the end of 2013 due to groin problems, replaced Milito on 55 minutes and soon after had the visitors in front.

There was a hint of offside after Icardi slipped past Nenad Tomovic to hit a low volley past Neto after Nagatomo’s cross from the left, but the goal stood.

Tomovic then did well to stop an Icardi-Palacio counter-attack and substitute Saphir Taider delivered a cross which Rolando missed by inches.

Fiorentina spurned a great chance to snatch a share of the points in the fourth minute of injury time when Alessandro Matri whipped in a cross that a diving Gomez just failed to reach.