Inter Milan extended their dominant stride towards securing the Serie A title with a resolute performance against Empoli, securing a 2-0 victory at home on Monday. Federico Dimarco’s early goal and a late effort from Alexis Sanchez contributed to their triumph, marking Inter’s place as only the second team in Serie A history to score in the first 30 games of a season. The feat was previously achieved solely by Juventus during the 2013-14 campaign, making Inter’s accomplishment a notable milestone unmatched by any other team in the top five European leagues this season.
In another fixture, AS Roma’s pursuit of a top-four finish faced a setback with a goalless draw against Lecce. Despite opportunities for both sides, Roma’s goalkeeper Mile Svilar’s steadfast performance thwarted Lecce’s attempts, leaving Remi Oudin’s stoppage-time effort narrowly off target.
Inter currently leads the Serie A table with 79 points, boasting a comfortable 14-point advantage over second-placed AC Milan with eight matches remaining. Such a substantial lead positions Inter to potentially secure the Scudetto in the upcoming city derby against Milan on April 22.
The outcome of the Inter-Empoli clash pushed Empoli, now in 18th place, into the relegation zone, tying them with Frosinone in 17th place with 25 points and maintaining a one-point lead over 19th-placed Sassuolo.
Despite Inter’s victory, manager Simone Inzaghi, celebrating his 100th victory with the club, faced vocal strain during the match, leading assistant coach Massimiliano Farris to assume post-match responsibilities. Farris credited the team’s cohesive tactics and effective substitutions for securing the crucial victory, emphasizing the collective effort and teamwork displayed by the players.
Early goal
Dimarco initiated the scoring for Inter in the sixth minute, breaking the deadlock by elegantly directing the ball into the bottom corner with his left foot from the edge of the penalty area. The remainder of the first half witnessed a dynamic exchange of play, with Inter endeavoring to augment their advantage while Empoli’s goalkeeper, Elia Caprile, exhibited steadfastness in thwarting their attempts. Nonetheless, Empoli gained momentum towards the conclusion of the half, fashioning opportunities that narrowly missed the target.
Following the interval, Inter returned to the pitch with renewed determination, and Nicolo Barella came perilously close to finding the net after skillfully maneuvering past three Empoli defenders. Subsequently, substitute Sanchez capitalized on being left unmarked to comfortably convert Denzel Dumfries’ precise cross, thereby doubling Inter’s lead in the 81st minute, following a seamless passing sequence orchestrated by the hosts.
In the dying moments of the match, Davide Frattesi nearly secured a third goal for Inter, but his effort agonizingly veered just wide of the post.