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Lukaku helps keep perfect Inter top with derby triumph
MILAN, Sept 22, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Romelu Lukaku fired Inter Milan back top
of Serie A with the second goal of a 2-0 derby win that extended their
perfect start to the season at the expense of city rivals AC Milan.
Belgium striker Lukaku and Marcelo Brozovic’s second half strikes gave
Inter their fourth win in as many games, putting them two points ahead of
Juventus after the champions’ came back from a goal down beat Verona 2-1
thanks to Aaron Ramsey’s first Serie A goal and a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty.
Antonio Conte’s Inter were looking for a boost after their dismal 1-1 draw
in their Champions League draw against Czech outsiders Slavia Prague.
And they hit back in a fiery Milan derby with Belgian striker Lukaku
heading in his third goal in four games with 12 minutes remaining after
Brozovic’s 49th-minute opener.
“At 26 years old, I needed and wanted a coach like this, one who motivates
me every day,” said Lukaku of Conte.
“My relationship with Conte is very strong, he’s a really good coach
because he’s someone who helps players to develop a lot.
“I’m really happy to be here and to be wearing this shirt.”
Milan could thank Gianluigi Donnarumma for keeping the match goalless in
the first half after he denied Lautaro Martinez, Lukaku and Danilo
D’Ambrosio.
Lautaro had a goal ruled out after 35 minutes for being marginally
offside. But the breakthrough came four minutes after the break when Stefano
Sensi set up Brozovic, whose deflected shot beat Donnarumma and was confirmed
after consultation with VAR.
Lukaku sealed the win and a perfect 12 points from four games when he
guided Nicolo Barella’s cross home with a glancing header, as AC Milan slip
to ninth place with six points.
“We came from a performance in the Champions League that left us with a
bitter taste, but gave us more impetus to face the derby in the best way,”
said Conte.
“It is a deserved victory, I am happy for our fans, because the derby is
always the derby.”
– Buffon back –
Juventus had trailed in Turin to Miguel Veloso’s goal before Wales
midfielder Ramsey pulled the champions level in the 31st minute, with
Ronaldo’s spot-kick ensuring the win for the hosts just after the break.
It got Maurizio Sarri’s side back to winning ways after last weekend’s
Serie A stalemate at Fiorentina and a 2-2 Champions League draw at Atletico
Madrid midweek.
Italian goalkeeping legend Gianluigi Buffon returned to the Juventus goal
after spending a season in Paris Saint-Germain to match Paolo Maldini’s
Italian record of 902 club matches.
Buffon’s appearances have been spread across three clubs — Parma,
Juventus and PSG — with Maldini having spent his entire career with Serie A
rivals Milan.
But the 41-year-old could not keep a clean sheet and was beaten by Veloso
after 21 minutes.
Amid confusion in front of the Juve goal after Simone Di Carmine missed a
Verona penalty, and Darko Lazovic’s rebound rattled the bar, Veloso pounced
to rifle a long range strike past Buffon.
But Ramsey got the champions back on level terms 10 minutes later on his
full debut, with a deflected effort past Verona goalkeeper Marco Silvestri.
Ronaldo put Juventus ahead from the spot with just his second goal this
season three minutes after the restart, having missed two chances before the
break.
Juve held on thanks to Buffon, who denied Mattia Zaccagni and Lazovic in
front of goal after 89 minutes, while Veloso was denied a brace by the post.
“After the Champions League the team was tired, but the important thing
was to win. Let’s take these three points and go ahead,” said Ronaldo.
Verona are 12th with four points from as many games.
Cagliari and Brescia are seventh and eighth respectively, with each on six
points, after the Sardinian side saw off Genoa 3-1 on Friday and newly-
promoted Brescia snatched a tight 1-0 win at third-from-bottom Udinese.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Napoli travel south to promoted Lecce on Sunday after
seeing off European champions Liverpool 2-0 on Tuesday, while third-placed
Bologna can join Juve on 10 points with a win over mid-table Roma.
BSS/AFP/MSY/0857 hrs