Inter Milan restored their three-point lead at the top of Serie A, but were made to suffer for all three points against Sampdoria.
A goal in first-half stoppage time from Adriano was enough to win the game for Jose Mourinho's side, although the Inter coach was forced to watch the second half from the stands after being sent off as tempers flared.
Samp performed spiritedly, despite losing their last two remaining fit defenders during the second half, but they could not get level, despite their perseverance.
And Inter held on to a crucial three points which take them back three points clear of Juventus and six above AC Milan.
Sampdoria came into the game with just two fit defenders in their squad, and they ended it with none.
Angelo Palombo began as an emergency centre half alongside Daniele Gastaldello and Andrea Raggi, but he saw his two colleagues limp out of the game.
Gastaldello was first to go early in the second half before Raggi pulled up with a groin strain minutes later.
Despite this, it was always likely to be a tough game for Walter Mazzarri's injury-hit side, who have not won since December 14, but they held out remarkably well in the first half.
In fact, the only attacks of note were theirs in the opening 45 minutes, until Adriano pounced in stoppage time.
Maicon laid the ball on a plate to his Brazilian compatriot, who could not miss with his volley at the vacated far post to put Inter ahead seconds before the half-time whistle.
The rest of the first half had been characterized by indiscipline with six yellow cards and Mourinho given his marching orders for criticizing referee Domenico Celi's decision to book Dejan Stankovic just in front of the Inter bench.
After a controversial week in which Mourinho was at the centre of a row over words exchanged with his side after their defeat to Atalanta last week, his first red card in Italian football somehow seemed to be inevitable.
Only his team failed to show the same amount of tension and almost let the walking wounded Samp back in as they sat back.
Giampaolo Pazzini had an excellent chance to equalize on the hour mark when he pushed his way through the Inter defense, but Julio Cesar scampered from his line to block the Samp new signing's shot.
Inter realized their lead was slender, but apart from a shot by Sulley Muntari, which was saved well by Luca Castellazzi, they continued to invite pressure on to themselves.
The Blucerchiati did all they could to take advantage, but it was not easy with a makeshift team.
They got no favors from referee Celi either as he turned a blind eye when Pazzini went to ground under a heavy challenge from Ivan Cordoba with 10 minutes remaining.
A tired Adriano resorted to taking the ball into the corner to waste time, such was Inter's desperation to hold onto the win as the game went into six minutes of stoppage time.
But Samp were tired too and could not muster anything more than a Daniele Dessena shot from distance which Julio Cesar pushed behind to secure the three points for his side.
