Serie A: Inter, AC Milan battle it out for the Scudetto as the season draws nigh
Inter Milan still have a say in this season’s Serie A title race after winning 2-1 at Udinese on Sunday to stay two points behind league leaders AC Milan.
Ivan Perisic and Lautaro Martinez made sure that the champions bounced back from Wednesday’s traumatic defeat at Bologna and stayed on the heels of Milan who earlier were fired to a 1-0 win over Fiorentina by Rafael Leao.
Milan need seven points from their final three games to snatch the Scudetto from their local rivals as they have the better of the two league derbies with Inter, meaning the seven-time European champions would stay ahead of Inter should they end up locked on the same points.
Sunday’s match was the toughest left in Inter’s run-in, while Milan have to play Atalanta and Sassuolo in their bid to secure the crown.
And Simone Inzaghi’s side dealt well with a tricky team who had rattled in 17 goals in their six games in April, taking the lead in the 12th minute through Perisic’s header and doubling their advantage seven minutes before halftime.
After Martinez was denied, Edin Dzeko made the most of contact from Pablo Mari’s lunging tackle and earned his team a penalty, which was smashed against the post by Martinez before the Argentine nodded in the rebound via a deflection off goalkeeper Marco Silvestre’s arm.
Ignacio Pussetto pulled one back for the hosts after Gerard Deulofeu’s free-kick was well saved by Samir Handanovic, but Inter held on to claim the points.
Portugal forward Leao struck with eight minutes remaining against Fiorentina to ensure Milan are still favourites for a first Scudetto since 2011.
Until Leao scored it had looked to be a frustrating day for the hosts, Olivier Giroud missing the first of a series of good chances with 15 minutes on the clock when he somehow fluffed his dinked finish wide after being slipped perfectly through by Franck Kessie.
Nerves started to get to the home fans after a series of misplaced passes in good positions curtailed promising attacks, and the huge crowd had their heads in their hands two minutes after the break when Leao smashed over from close range after being fed by Giroud.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was introduced in the 65th minute in an attempt to force the winner, and after Mike Maignan saved Arthur Cabral’s 76th-minute header Leao made it party time.
He collected Viola goalkeeper Pietro Terracciano’s awful kick, charged towards goal and slotted home a finish which could be crucial to an enthralling title race.
