Inter Milan secures vital win to keep up the pressure on AC Milan

 

Serie A champions Inter Milan have kept the pressure on rivals AC Milan by securing a 2-1 win at Udinese on Sunday.

Simeone Inzaghi’s men keep up the pressure as the battle for the Scudetto might go down the wire. The Diavolo had recorded a 1-0 win over Fiorentina courtesy of a gifted goal to Rafael Leao.

All Inter needs to do to take the maximum points away from home against a stubborn opponent is to do the job in the first half with Ivan Perisic’s header and Lautaro Martinez on the rebound from a missed penalty. The win has kept the gap from leaders Milan at two points.

Having suffered a defeat in their rescheduled midweek fixture against Bologna, who further held AS Roma to a goalless draw on Sunday, the Nerazzurri were under intense pressure to reduce the gap to two points as they battle to defend their crown continues.

Inter went ahead through Perisic, who had given them the lead in Bologna, scoring with a header at the near post from a Federico Dimarco corner.

Golie Silvestri was called to action when he made a desperate save from Lautaro Martinez’s chip, and Edin Dzeko was tripped on the rebound by Pablo Mari. This led to a penalty after a VAR review.

Martinez had to score from a rebound after firing his spot-kick onto the upright to double their lead.

As Inter was planning to sit on their lead, Udinese reduced the deficit through Destiny Udogie.

Handanovic made a sensational one-handed save on Gerard Deulofeu’s free-kick, but Udogie was on hand to roll across the rebound for Pussetto’s tap-in.

In search of an equalizer, Tucu Correa stung Silvestri’s gloves at the near post, while  Arturo Vidal’s goal was cancelled after wandering several metres offside.

 

Written by: Oladipupo Mojeed