Leaders Inter Milan returned to winning ways in Serie A with a comprehensive victory at lowly Lecce.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic opened the scoring for Jose Mourinho's side in the first half while further goals from Luis Figo and Dejan Stankovic made sure of a comfortable victory at Stadio Via del Mare.
The win lifted Inter nine points clear at the summit for a few hours at least, although AC Milan could bring that gap back to six points with victory in the evening encounter at home to Reggina.
Inter were keyed up for this game after being held to a 1-1 draw by Torino last weekend, setting about their task with vigour and going close after just nine minutes when Stankovic headed wide.
And the visitors went ahead just moments later as Esteban Cambiasso picked out Ibrahimovic in space on the edge of the area and the Sweden international fired home from 20 yards.
Inter had Julio Cesar to thank for keeping their noses in front after 18 minutes, the goalkeeper making a great reflex save to deny Guglielmo Stendardo.
Lecce were far from overawed by their illustrious visitors and created another chance after 33 minutes when Simone Tiribocchi let fly from 25 yards with a shot that went just wide of the right-hand post.
Inter began to assert themselves after the break and 11 minutes in Maicon should have done better than fire over when inside the area.
Stankovic then had another chance after 62 minutes but Francesco Benussi was equal to the chance, making a good save.
Lecce were struggling in the final third and often resorted to long-range efforts, one of which, by Dimitrios Papadopoulos midway through the half, only just sailed wide of the mark with Julio Cesar struggling.
Inter were still only a goal away from seeing their lead wiped out, however, and a weight was lifted from their shoulders when Figo netted the clincher after 72 minutes, the veteran Portuguese winger heading home Maicon's left-wing cross.
Papadopoulos, who entered the fray as a 66th-minute substitute, was proving to be a lively addition to the Lecce team and the striker again got the attention of Julio Cesar with a testing long-range effort that again missed by a whisker.
Inter were never in any real danger of being breached at the back, however, and increased their winning margin with eight minutes left to play.
The impressive Maicon was again at the heart of the move, the Brazilian's right-wing free-kick finding its way to Stankovic who planted a firm header beyond Benussi to seal three valuable points for Inter in their bid to claim a fourth Scudetto in a row.
