Lautaro Martinez’s brace got Inter Milan back from a two-goal deficit to defeat Empoli 4-2 and keep their Serie A title hopes alive.
Inter, who lost control of the title race by losing to Bologna nine days ago, fell two goals behind to strikes from Andrea Pinamonti after five minutes and Kristjan Asllani just before the half-hour mark.
However, an own goal from Simone Romagnoli five minutes before the break gave them a lifeline and Lautaro crashed home Hakan Calhanoglu’s pull-back to get them even before the break after an incredible first half.
There only looked like being one winner after that point, though it took nearly 20 minutes before Lautaro, with another crashing finish, gave them the crucial lead.
The home side kept pouring forward and after a host of chances were squandered, before Alexis Sanchez turned home Edin Dzeko’s cross in injury time to seal the win.
Inter are now a point clear of AC Milan, having played a game more, with their city rivals set to play at Verona on Sunday.
TALKING POINT – INTER STARED INTO THE ABYSS BUT FIGHT ON
You can look at it two ways. How could Inter go two goals down to a side in mid-table – especially having lost to Bologna recently? And there is the suspicion that if they had not been gifted a goal from Romagnoli – and a questionable disallowed goal – the tough night might have extended deep into the second half at least. But when they needed them most, their key men took control and turned the game back in their favour. Their co-tenants remain the favourites and even a draw at Verona would leave them in control with two games remaining due to their head-to-head advantage over Inter. But Inter live to fight another day and it certainly looked like this might not be the case a third of the way into this match.
MAN OF THE MATCH – IVAN PERISIC (INTER)
It would have been easy to give the award to Lautaro Martinez whose two efforts which won the game were sublime. But if there was one Inter player who showed his best form throughout the game, even in that difficult first half-hour, it was Perisic who did not stop tormenting the right-hand side of the Empoli defence for the whole game and his cross led to the own goal which brought the hosts back into the game. There might not be a better deliverer of a ball from that flank in world football. If his team-mates had been on form Inter could have doubled their score.
PLAYER RATINGS
Inter: Handanovic 6; Skriniar 6, De Vrij 6, Dimarco 7; Dumfries 7, Barella 7, Brozovic 6, Calhanoglu 8, Perisic 9*; Lautaro Martinez 8, Correa 6.
Subs: Dzeko 7, Vidal 6, D’Ambrosio 6, Darmian 6, Sanchez 6.
Empoli: Vicario 7; Fiamozzi 5 Romagnoli 6, Luperto 6, Parisi 5; Zurkowski 7, Stulac 6, Bandinelli 6; Asllani 6, Bajrami 6, Pinamonti 7.
Subs: Henderson 6, Di Francesco 6, Cutrone 6, Ismajli 6, Benassi 6.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
5′ GOAL FOR EMPOLI! What a fantastic start! It was a fantastic run down the right flank from Zurkowski and his low cross behind the defence was met on the stretch from Pinamonti.
10′ GOAL – NO! It looked like Inter were two down but Zukowski’s goal was disallowed for an offside against Pinamonti. He slotted the ball home superbly.
23′ PENALTY FOR INTER! It looked like Parisi got the ball when Barella went down. Now the referee is looking at the video screen. It’s been over-ruled, no penalty.
28′ GOAL FOR EMPOLI! Amazing! A long ball over the top was brilliantly controlled by Asllani who directed the ball wide of Handanovic and then slid the ball under him for his first Serie A goal.
40′ GOAL FOR INTER! An own goal from Romagnoli and maybe that is what they needed to get back into the game. Dimarco slid a low cross behind the defence and with a desperate lunge the defender shinned the ball into the net.
45′ GOAL FOR INTER! Crisis over? Well, they will at least go in level. Lautaro slammed the ball home with the outside of his right boot after Calhanoglu pulled the ball back from the left by-line.
64′ GOAL FOR INTER! It was coming. Another period of pinball in the Empoli box led to the ball being hit in the direction of Lautaro and he lashed home a low effort which even Vicario didn’t have a chance to stop.
90+2′ OFF THE POST! A fine run from Dzeko skipping past a diving challenge before hitting a shot which had Vicario beaten but came back off the post.
90+4′ GOAL FOR INTER! Finally Inter get a fourth and it is from Sanchez who was all alone at the far post after Dzeko pulled the ball across from the left-hand side of the six-yard box.
