Late Sneijder strike seals Inter win

Wesley Sneijder netted his first Inter Milan goal in stoppage time to hand the Serie A champions a fortunate 2-1 win over in-form Udinese on Saturday.

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Inter players celebrate their opening goal

The Dutch midfielder, signed from Real Madrid at the end of the transfer window, curled the ball in from a tight angle to send Jose Mourinho dancing down the San Siro touchline and put his side top of the table after seven matches.

"It's a goal the team deserved. In the end we've played a great game against a great side," Mourinho told Sky television.

Dejan Stankovic had shrugged off a back injury to give hosts Inter the lead midway through an entertaining first half when he ran on to Samuel Eto'o's pass and rifled the ball into the top corner.

Serie A top scorer Antonio Di Natale then bagged his ninth goal of the campaign on 27 minutes when Cristian Chivu played the Udinese striker onside and he calmly fired home.

Sampdoria can return to the top with victory over Parma on Sunday (1300 GMT) before third-placed Juventus visit Palermo (1845).

Bari drew 0-0 at home to struggling Catania in Saturday's other game with the hosts going closest when Vitali Kutuzov hit the post after a mistake by goalkeeper Mariano Andujar. Promoted Bari, whose takeover by an American property tycoon collapsed during the week, had already drawn with Inter and AC Milan this term.

Beleaguered Milan travel to joint-bottom Atalanta on Sunday (1300) desperate for a win to ease the pressure on coach Leonardo ahead of the international break.