UPDATE 3-Soccer-Inter stretch lead with win at Cagliari

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By Mark Meadows

MILAN, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Inter Milan extended their lead at the top of Serie A to seven points after second-half goals from Julio Cruz and David Suazo secured a 2-0 win at struggling Cagliari on Sunday.

The unbeaten defending champions, on 40 points from 16 games, were always on top in rainy Sardinia despite being without a host of injured midfielders and suspended striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

The absentees forced Inter boss Roberto Mancini to play a front three of Cruz, Suazo and Hernan Crespo and they struggled to fully gel in the first half, although Crespo went close and Cristian Chivu hit the bar from longe range.

The system worked better after the break and Suazo laid the ball off for Argentine Cruz to grab his ninth league goal of the season on 57 minutes from the edge of the area.

Suazo tapped in 1O minutes from time after Ivan Cordoba's header had been saved, sending Cagliari back to the bottom after they had briefly been replaced by Reggina during the day.

"In the first half it was more difficult to find the right pass but second half we improved. I hope we continue like this," Cruz told Sky television, looking ahead to next Sunday's derby with new club world champions AC Milan.