Inter cruise back to Serie A summit after first-half Udinese blitz
Having laid down a marker with a comprehensive victory over defending Serie A champions Napoli last time out, Inter looked full of confidence during the early stages, with Lautauro Martinez glancing a close-range header against the post and Federico Dimarco seeing a low effort thwarted by Marco Silvestri.
The one-way traffic continued as the first half progressed, and Hakan Calhanoglu came within inches of breaking the deadlock shortly before the half-hour mark, as the Turkish international fired narrowly wide from range.
Undeterred by their profligacy in front of goal, Inter showed no signs of slowing down with half-time approaching, and Simone Inzaghi’s men were handed a golden opportunity to take the lead when Nehuen Perez was penalised for pulling back Martinez in the box.
Calhanoglu assumed the responsibility from the spot, and the midfielder coolly dispatched the penalty into the bottom-left corner for his seventh league goal of the campaign.
Buoyed by the breakthrough, Inter moved up through the gears before the break, adding two goals in the space of three minutes.
First, Dimarco showed impressive composure to sweep home from Calhanoglu’s inch-perfect pass, before Marcus Thuram finished off a sensational team move, tapping home at the back post following Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s deft cross – giving the Nerazzurri a commanding three-goal advantage at the interval.
With victory all but sealed, the hosts took their foot off the gas in the early stages of the second half. However, they still remained a threat in the final third, with Dimarco providing a constant outlet from wing-back.
Having recorded their lowest points tally from the opening 14 games of a top-flight campaign since 1994/95, it was a case of damage limitation for the visitors as time ticked into the final half-hour, although Lorenzo Lucca briefly thought he’d netted a consolation for the Bianconeri, only to be denied by the assistant’s flag.
A straightforward evening for Inter was given the crowning moment six minutes from time, as talisman Martinez got his name on the scoresheet, rifling a superb strike into the far corner - sealing a sixth successive top-flight home win over Udinese for the first time in the Nerazzurri’s history.
Udinese meanwhile, will be desperate to bounce back against Sassuolo next weekend after their dismal form in Serie A extended to one win in 19 matches (D9, L9).
Flashscore Man of the Match: Federico Dimarco (Inter)
