Inter left behind the draw with Sampdoria with a 3-1 defeat of Udinese, best way to approach the Champions League clash with Porto next Wednesday. With this result, the Nerazzurri maintain their second place in Serie A, with a three-point lead over Milan and 15 over Napoli, which already seems unattainable. Romelu Lukaku started again for the second consecutive time and was able to celebrate his first league goal since last Augustalthough his performance still did not live up to what is expected of him.
At minute 18, after an ugly tackle by Walace on Dumfries, the referee awarded the maximum penalty with the help of VAR, and the Belgian wanted the ball for himself. His shot, weak and quite central, was easily neutralized by Silvestri, but an invasion in the area gave the striker another opportunity, which he did not miss. ANDThe Belgian did not celebrate the goal and, after the discussion with Barella last week, he was nervous againfought with Masina, and thus earned a yellow card.
Sottil’s men put the tables before the break with a counterattack set up by Pereyra and well finished by Lovric, who struck Handanovic down with a powerful shot in the heart of the area. The unexpected equalizer did not take control of the game from an Inter that grew in the second half, thanks also to Inzaghi’s revulsive forces. The Italian took D’Ambrosio, Calhanoglu and Lautaro off the bench and the intensity of his attacks increased as the minutes passed.
The well-deserved 2-1 came in minute 73′ and was scored by Mkhitaryan, who finished off a quick play by the Nerazzurri with a precise shot from the inside of his foot. The goal put the Milanese in control of the match and Lautaro, after having wasted a one-on-one with Silvestri with a bad Vaseline attempt, was forgiven shortly after with the 3-1. The Argentine, at minute 89, received a long pass from D’Ambrosio, He held on against Bijol and beat the goalkeeper with a powerful right hand. El Toro is on a roll: he has scored 13 goals in this Serie A, four in the last four days. If aim, in the Champions League, it will be essential.
Changes
Adam Masina (17′, Enzo Ebosse), Danilo D’Ambrosio (45′, Matteo Darmian), Isaac Success (60′, Florian Thauvin), Hakan Çalhanoglu (65′, Marcelo Brozovic), Lautaro Martinez (65′, Romelu Lukaku), Tolgay Arslan (74′, Sandi Lovric), lazar samardzic (75′, Roberto Pereyra), Festy Ebosele (75′, Beto), robin gosen (78′, Federico Dimarco), Roberto Gagliardini (83′, Henrikh Mkhitaryan)
goals
1-0, 19′: lukaku1-1, 42′: sandi lovric2-1, 72′: Mkhitaryan3-1, 88′: Lautaro Martinez
cards
Referee: Federico Dionisi
VAR referee: Eugenio Abbattista, Francesco Fourneau
lukaku (21′,Yellow) Adam Masina (21′,Yellow) darmian (38′,Yellow) Jaka Bijol (46′,Yellow)