Edin Dzeko answered his critics with a seventh goal of the campaign as Roma remained firmly in the hunt for a third consecutive Champions League campaign thanks to a 2-1 win at Udinese.

With Juventus and Napoli expected to duel for this season's Serie A title over the remaining nine games, the focus is on the battle the league's third and last Champions League qualifying spot.

But Roma's eighth consecutive win, coupled with draws for AC Milan and Fiorentina, means they are now just two points behind second-placed Napoli ahead of their trip to Palermo later Sunday, and five points ahead of Champions League rivals Fiorentina and Inter Milan.

Fiorentina, who took a 40th minute lead through Mauro Zarate in Florence, were pegged back by Eros Pisano's late leveller for the league strugglers.

The point took Paulo Sousa's men move back up to fourth place at the expense of Inter Milan, who secured a precious 2-1 win over Bologna on Saturday, but La Viola are now level on points with the Nerazzurri (54).

AC Milan, meanwhile, saw their hopes of finishing among the top three dented after a scoreless draw at Chievo left Sinisa Mihajlovic's men in sixth at 11 points behind Roma.

Dzeko was one of several Roma players slated by coach Luciano Spalletti after a 2-0 reverse to Real Madrid last week left the Italians limping out of the last 16 of the competition 4-0 on aggregate.

Spalletti told Dzeko on Saturday he should be "begging" for his shirt ahead of the trip to the Friuli Stadium.

But the Bosnian responded in positive fashion, coming close with a glancing header from Stephan El Shaarawy's cross in the opening minutes.

After Diego Perotti spurned another chance for the visitors, Dzeko broke the deadlock on the quarter-hour when he ran on to Mohamed Salah's deft touch off El Shaarawy's weighted delivery from midfield to poke the ball past Orestis Karnezis.

Udinese's first shot on goal came from Francesco Lodi on the half hour, but Wojciech Szczesny parried easily for a corner.

Roma twice flirted with conceding an equaliser early after the restart.

Szczesny had to produce a reflex save low at his near post after Cyril Thereau's drive from outside the area took a deflection off Ervin Zukanovic.

From the resulting corner, Duvan Zapata's probing header came off the Polish 'keeper's upright as he stood rooted to the spot.

Roma regained control in the 74th minute when Alessandro Florenzi produced a fine touch on the edge of the box to beat Karnezis at his far post with the outside of his boot.

But Roma were forced to endure a nervous finish when Bruno Fernandes pounced on a loose ball inside the area to fire an unstoppable shot past Szczesny and inside the far post five minutes from the end.

At the Luigi Ferraris, former Genoa striker Ciro Immobile broke the deadlock after just four minutes when he smashed the ball into the roof of the net from the right corner of the box.

Immobile hit a spectacular second on the quarter hour, the striker running on to Afriyie Acquah's intelligent through ball to beat Mattia Perin at his far post with a spectacular effort.

But Genoa were right back in it thanks to two spot-kicks by Alessio Cerci, and the hosts turned the game on its head on 66 minutes when Luca Rignoi stooped low at the edge of the box to send Suso's free kick past Daniele Padelli.