Inter move closer to Serie A title with 5-2 win over Roma

ROME: Inter Milan moved a step nearer to the Serie A title on Sunday after beating Roma 5-2 at the San Siro, a result that ended their recent dip in form and left them nine points clear at the top of the table.

The win strengthened Inter’s push for what would be their 21st league crown. Their nearest challengers, AC Milan, were due to travel to champions Napoli on Monday, with both sides still trying to keep pressure on the leaders.

Inter were boosted by the return of Lautaro Martinez, who scored twice after being sidelined for nearly two months with injury. Marcus Thuram also got on the scoresheet, netting his first club goal since early February, as Inter responded strongly after a brief late-season wobble.

Since Martinez suffered a calf injury against Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League, Inter had taken eight points from five league matches. On Sunday, however, they looked sharper and more decisive.

"Tonight was a big match for us... we had to come out with the right attitude and personality," Martinez said, adding that he was happy for his teammates, because it was the win the team deserved.

Inter went ahead with barely a minute played when captain Martinez finished from a neat pass by Thuram. Roma drew level in the 40th minute through a header from Gianluca Mancini, but Inter restored their advantage just before the break when Hakan Calhanoglu struck from more than 30 metres.

The home side then took control after the interval. In the 52nd minute, Martinez scored his 16th league goal of the season after another assist from Thuram. Moments later, Thuram headed in from a Calhanoglu corner to extend the lead further.

Nicolo Barella then added Inter’s fifth with just over an hour gone, taking advantage of more poor defending from Roma before finishing. Lorenzo Pellegrini scored with a low effort in the 70th minute for Roma, but by then the match had already been decided.

Calhanoglu’s goal and Barella’s second league strike of the season also dealt another setback to Roma’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League. Roma are sixth, three points behind fourth-placed Como, who were due to visit Udinese in Monday’s early match. They are also level on points with fifth-placed Juventus, who were set to host Genoa.

"It was game of two halves, in the first I saw a lot of good things, even if the final result makes everything look different, Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini said, adding that "Losing in Milan to this Inter team can happen, even if it shouldn't be by such a margin."

Elsewhere at the bottom of the table, Cremonese dropped into the relegation zone after a 2-1 defeat to Bologna, while Pisa moved closer to relegation following a 1-0 home loss to Torino.