Leaders Inter fight past Roma to move seven points clear

Marcus Thuram was key to Inter's win at a soaking Stadio Olimpico in Rome as, with his team trailing at half-time, the France attacker made it two goals each shortly after the break and forced the Angelino own goal which put Inter ahead in the 56th minute. Alessandro Bastoni finished Roma off in stoppage time after finishing off a counter-attack as the hosts pushed for a leveller.

It was the second week in a row that Thuram had made an opposing player push the ball into his own net after Federico Gatti's own goal in last weekend's win over closest rivals Juventus. Simone Inzaghi's side now await the result of Juve's home fixture with struggling Udinese on Monday to see how far they will be in front after this weekend's fixtures.

Inter have won seven straight matches in all competitions as they aim to beat local rivals AC Milan to a 20th league title, with both teams stuck on 19. Roma meanwhile missed the chance to move into the Champions League positions after Daniele De Rossi's first defeat since taking charge of his boyhood club last month.

They led at the break through Gianluca Mancini and Stephan El Shaarawy, taking control of the match after Francesco Acerbi's looping header had put Inter ahead in the 17th minute. However De Rossi's team stay a point behind fourth-placed Atalanta who have two games in hand on the majority of their top-four rivals and are at Genoa on Sunday.

Earlier Ciro Immobile scored his 200th Serie A goal on Saturday as Lazio warmed up for their Champions League clash with Bayern Munich by beating Cagliari 3-1. Italy forward Immobile, who is Lazio's all-time top scorer, put his team two goals ahead three minutes after the break in Sardinia after Alessandro Deiola's first-half own goal handed them the lead.

Felipe Anderson rounded off the scoring in the 65th minute to move Lazio up to sixth, two points behind fourth-placed Atalanta in the race for next season's revamped Champions League. Lazio host Bayern on Wednesday in the last 16 of Europe's top club competition. Captain Immobile, 33, is one of just eight players to have scored 200 goals or more in Italy's top flight and the only one currently playing.

 

February 10, 2024