Football News : Inter win nine-goal thriller under new coach

Diego Milito is congratulated by Mauro Zarate after completing his hat-trick against Genoa in the San Siro.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Inter Milan beat Genoa 5-4 to revive European qualification hopes


• First match in charge for Andrea Stramaccioni who replaced Claudio Ranieri


• Juventus beat Napoli 3-0 to close the gap at top on AC Milan


• Bundesliga Bayer Leverkusen sack coach Robin Dutt

(CNN) -- Inter Milan grabbed a thrilling 5-4 win over Genoa in new coach Andrea Stramaccioni's first match in charge Sunday to keep in the hunt for European football next season.

The Nerazzurri needed the victory in the San Siro to keep place with AS Roma, who beat Novara 5-2 earlier in the day and hold sixth place, three points clear of Inter.

In the late kickoff, Juventus boosted their Serie A title hopes with a 3-0 win over Napoli in Turin, maintaining their 34 game unbeaten run this season.

Leonardo Bonucci, Arturo Vidal and Fabio Quagliarella scored the goals as Juve closed to within two points of AC Milan, who were held to a 1-1 draw at Catania Saturday.

Napoli, who had Juan Zuniga sent off late on for elbowing Giorgio Chiellini, stay fourth, three points behind Lazio in the final Champions League qualification

Earlier, Stramaccioni's first match since taking over from the sacked Claudio Ranieri was certainly eventful with goals galore at either end.

The 36-year-old former youth team coach restored veterans Esteban Cambiasso and Cristian Chivu to the starting line-up and was rewarded with a battling display.

The president has given me this crazy opportunity that I didn't deserve but him having faith in me gives me great serenity
Andrea Stramaccioni

Argentina ace Diego Milito hit a hat-trick against his former club, while Walter Samuel and Mauro Zarate added the other two.

Alberto Gilardino scored a brace of penalties for the visitors, with Emiliano Moretti and Rodrigo Palacio -- also with a penalty -- scoring the others.

Aside from the four penalties, there were two red cards with Inter goalkeeper Julio Cesar and Genoa's Fernando Belluschi both sent off.

"The important thing is that we won. Certainly it was an explosive victory, " Stramaccioni told Italian television after the win.

"As for me, the president (Massimo Moratti) has given me this crazy opportunity that I didn't deserve but him having faith in me gives me great serenity."

Inter were 3-0 up before Genoa staged a fightback, closing to 4-3 after Cesar was dismissed in conceding a penalty which Gilardino converted.

Bt Milito completed his hat-trick from the spot only for Gilardino to add his second after Inter conceded a last minute penalty.

In other football news Sunday, Bayer Leverkusen sacked coach Robin Dutt after their 2-0 home defeat by Freiburg the day before, their fourth in a row.

Former Liverpool defender Sami Hyypia has taken over as caretaker coach until the end of the Bundesliga season.

In league action, there was a second straight defeat for Borussia Moenchengladbach, 2-1 to Hanover, but they stay fourth.