Inter Milan took the Serie A title race to the final week after a Lautaro Martinez double gave the reigning champion a 3-1 win at Cagliari on Sunday.
With full three points from the match, Inter made sure to stay two points behind cross-town rival AC Milan.
Inter had to win to have any hope of retaining its league crown after Milan beat Atalanta 2-0 earlier in the day.
And goals in each half from Mattia Darmian's and Martinez ensured that Simone Inzaghi's side would push their local rivals down to the wire with a hard-fought victory in Sardinia.
Simone Inzaghi's Inter could have been tired after a thrilling, extra time Italian Cup triumph over old foes Juventus Wednesday but came through a tricky test against a side scrapping for its top-flight lives.
"The emotions were on Wednesday, winning a trophy we cared about a great deal," Inzaghi told DAZN.
"It wasn't easy after Milan's win, but the team played really well against an opponent who is problematic on their own turf. I congratulate my lads because this was by no means to be taken for granted, especially after playing 120 minutes on Wednesday."
Cagliari meanwhile stays two points behind Salernitana, who sits just outside the relegation zone.
It had already had a Milan Skriniar goal ruled out for handball when Darmian did put the away side ahead, and once Martinez lashed home his first six minutes after the break he thought that was that.
Charalampos Lykogiannis thumped home from distance almost straight afterward to give Cagliari hope of getting an unlikely result, but with six minutes remaining Martinez dinked home his second to calm the Inter nerves.
On the final day Inter hosts Sampdoria, who is now safe thanks to the defeat for 18th-placed Cagliari, while Milan travels to Sassuolo needing just a point to secure its first Scudetto since 2011.
Stefano Pioli's side has the better of the season's two Milan derbies meaning that if the two teams finish level on points it will be Milan who take the title.
It holds the advantage over Inter thanks to strikes from Rafael Leao and Theo Hernandez who sealed the win over Atalanta in front of a packed San Siro.
Leao broke through after 56 minutes, picking up a Messias through ball before firing between the legs of Atalanta goalkeeper Juan Musso, with Hernandez adding a second 19 minutes later following a brilliant solo run through the Atalanta defense.
In Naples, Lorenzo Insigne scored on his final home game for Napoli, a 3-0 win over Genoa, who is now relegated to Serie B.
It was an emotional final match for Insigne at the Diego Maradona Stadium after 12 years in his hometown club. The Napoli captain will join MLS club Toronto FC as a free agent from July 1.
The 30-year-old was given a guard of honor as he walked out onto the pitch for the final time alongside his sons and was presented with gifts.
Insigne scored Napoli's second goal from the penalty spot after an hour with Victor Osimhen and Stanislav Lobotka also on target for the third-placed southerners who return to Champions League football next season.
