In a display of dominance, Inter secured victory over Genoa, extending their lead at the top of the table to 15 points, courtesy of Kristjan Asllani’s well-executed strike and a contentious penalty converted by Alexis Sanchez.
Having triumphed in all 12 competitive matches played thus far in 2024, including a recent rescheduled 4-0 win against Atalanta, Inter found added motivation following Juventus’ defeat to Napoli. The absence of Alessandro Bastoni due to suspension, alongside injuries to Hakan Calhanoglu and Juan Cuadrado, as well as the fitness limitations of Marcus Thuram and Francesco Acerbi, posed challenges for the Nerazzurri. Nevertheless, they faced a Genoa side that had lost only once in their previous 11 Serie A fixtures and had previously held Inter to a 1-1 draw in December.
Despite Denzel Dumfries’ promising run thwarted by a misjudged first touch, and Nicolò Barella’s impressive volley finding the net’s roof, Genoa squandered a significant chance as Yann Sommer denied Mateo Retegui’s header, with Albert Gudmundsson failing to capitalize on the rebound.
Inter seized the lead when Kristjan Asllani exploited Genoa’s defensive lapse, latching onto Alexis Sanchez’s precise through ball to dispatch a shot into the top corner from a challenging angle. Moments later, Barella’s attempt at goal was impeded by Morten Frendrup’s tackle, resulting in a penalty awarded by the referee, despite contentious evaluation through VAR. Alexis Sanchez successfully converted the penalty, marking his first Serie A goal in two years.
Despite further claims for a penalty as Lautaro Martinez’s strike appeared to strike Mattia Bani’s chest, Inter maintained pressure, with chances falling to Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Lautaro Martinez, the latter’s effort narrowly missing the target. However, Genoa managed to claw their way back into the game through a splendid volley from Johan Vasquez.
While Genoa had a goal disallowed due to an offside position, Retegui missed opportunities to level the score, thwarted by defensive blocks from Yann Bisseck and Mattia Bani. Inter continued to press forward, with Barella and Carlos Augusto testing Genoa’s defense, but ultimately failing to extend their lead.
The victory propelled Inter to 72 points, matching their total from the entirety of the previous season, reaffirming their dominance in Serie A.
Inter 2-1 Genoa