Lautaro Martinez ensured Inter Milan remained close behind Serie A leaders Napoli by scoring the decisive goal in a 1-0 victory against Roma at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday.
The Argentine forward netted his fourth goal of the season in all competitions at the hour mark, clinching a hard-fought win for Inter. The result keeps the reigning champions just two points behind Napoli, who also won 1-0 at Empoli. All of Italy’s top four sides secured victories this weekend, with Inter now preparing for a crucial clash against Juventus at the San Siro next week.
Before that, Inter will focus on their Champions League campaign in Bern against Young Boys, though they may be without Hakan Calhanoglu and Francesco Acerbi, who were both forced off due to injuries in the first half.
Despite injuries, Inter’s performance in Rome was solid, and the scoreline could have been greater if not for Roma’s goalkeeper, Mile Svilar, who made crucial saves against Marcus Thuram and Denzel Dumfries.
Roma, on the other hand, sits 10th in the league after suffering their second defeat in what has already been a challenging season. The match began in a subdued atmosphere as Roma’s hardcore fans stayed outside the stadium for the first 15 minutes in protest over the club’s direction under American owner Dan Friedkin. Fans remain unhappy following the dismissal of club legend Daniele De Rossi last month and the overall management of the team, which has not qualified for the Champions League since 2018.