Radja Nainggolan's fine long-range strike shortly after the hour mark helped Roma to a 1-0 victory over AC Milan at the Stadio Olimpico this evening.
The 62nd-minute goal proved the difference on the night, as the Giallorossi picked up the win required to close the gap on pacesetters Juventus to four points.
There was little to separate the two sides prior to kickoff, with Roma edging things thanks to their superior goal difference, and so it proved again in the Italian capital as the hosts edged a tight game that saw the Rossoneri miss a first-half penalty.
The first chance of the contest fell to Edin Dzeko, who was kept out by young Milan stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma inside the opening two minutes, before M'Baye Niang was denied from the spot by Wojciech Szczesny.
There was another chance for an in-form Dzeko to make the breakthrough prior to the break, but his shot grazed the post on its way through as the first half ended all square.
Mario Pasalic saw an opening of his own come and go, just minutes before Nainggolan curled one in from 25 yards out to score what proved to be the decisive goal of the match.
Szczesny was then on hand to keep out Mati Fernandez in the closing stages to ensure that Luciano Spalletti's charges reached full time with their lead intact - now just one defeat in 10 and a total of five points dropped since the end of September.
Daniel Lewis
