Diego Milito and Goran Pandev scored as Inter Milan earned a 2-0 win over rival AC Milan to extend its lead atop the Serie A to nine points.

Inter played over half the match with 10 men after midfielder Wesley Sneijder was sent off for sarcastically applauding referee Gianluca Rocchi. In second half injury time, Lucio was also red carded for a deliberate handball.

The result means Inter remains tops with 49 points. Milan is second with 40 with a match in hand.

Inter started the stronger. Sneijder twice went close in the opening exchanges. First he hit the outside of the post with a long-range shot, then forced Milan goalkeeper Dida into a sharp save from close in.

Milito opened the scoring in the 10th. His strike partner Pandev found him in space behind Milan's defence and the Argentine shot low under Dida.

In the 27th though Inter went down to 10 men when Sneijder was sent off. Until then the Dutchman had been controlling the match and his teammates had to lead him away from referee Rocchi and off the pitch.

After halftime Milan began brightly. Inter keeper Julio Cesar had to be alert to stop Clarence Seedorf's close range header and moments later Ronaldinho went close with a shot from the edge of the area.

Marco Borriello then twice headed on target as David Beckham began to find more space to cross from the right wing.

It was Inter that added to the score, however. In the 65th Macedonia's hitman Pandev scored a freekick after Giuseppe Favalli brought down Maicon.

In injury time Cesar stopped Milan from adding a consolation when he saved Ronaldinho's penalty after Lucio was sent off.