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Inter win thrilling Milan derby to move top of Serie A
MILAN, Feb 10, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Inter Milan moved top of Serie A on Sunday
after storming back from two goals down to snatch a 4-2 win over AC Milan in
a pulsating derby at the San Siro.
Inter pull level on 54 points with Juventus, who lost 2-1 at Hellas Verona
on Saturday, but are ahead of the champions on goal difference thanks to a
exhilerating second half turnaround after Ante Rebic and Zlatan Ibrahimovic
had put Milan 2-0 up at the break.
Lazio are just a point behind in third after Felipe Caicedo scored the
only goal in a hard-fought win at Parma earlier on Sunday.
Milan had dominated the first half with Inter struggling to deal with
Ibrahimovic, who soared above Diego Godin before knocking down for Rebic to
tap the opener past Daniele Padelli.
Stefan De Vrij blocked another cross to deny Rebic a second tap in but
Franck Kessie flicked on for a waiting Ibrahimovic to turn in the second.
The comeback began five minutes after the break when Brozovic lashed home
a stunning volley and two minutes later Mattias Vecino finshed off an Alexis
Sanchez pass to level the scores.
De Vrij put Inter deservedly ahead with a superb diving header with 20
minutes to go, and after Ibrahimovic hit the post for Milan Romelu Lukaku
then headed home substitute Victor Moses’ cross three minutes into injury
time to maintain Inter’s charge for a first Serie A title in a decade.
Milan’s collapse means they missed the chance to move into the Europa
League places and sit 10th.
– Lazio in the mix –
Caicedo kept Lazio’s own dream of a first ‘Scudetto’ in 20 years alive as
a 1-0 win over Parma moved the Romans second in Serie A.
Simone Inzaghi’s side are right in the title discussion after extending
their unbeaten run to 18 league games.
Their last Serie A defeat was in September to Inter Milan, who they host
next weekend at the Stadio Olimpico.
“We are trying to stay in there, fighting against the battleships. With
this spirit, we can advance very well,” said Inzaghi.
“Sunday will be a great game against a great team.”
Caicedo broke through just before the interval as the Ecuadorian volleyed
home after Parma failed to clear a ball into the box.
Napoli’s struggles continued as they collapsed to a 3-2 defeat at home to
Lecce.
Last season’s runners-up had rekindled hopes of European football next
season after league wins over Juventus and Sampdoria, and by eliminating
Lazio from the Italian Cup.
Gianluca Lapadula netted a double, opening the scoring after half an hour,
with Marco Mancoscu sealing victory with a superb free-kick eight minutes
from time.
Arkadiusz Milik had levelled for Napoli just after the break with Jose
Callejon reducing the deficit late on.
The hosts were furious at being denied a penalty for a challenge on Milik,
with the Pole booked for diving.
“I don’t understand why they don’t go to VAR when it’s a debatable one,”
said Gattuso. “It would have taken a minute to see if Milik had been fouled.”
Napoli are 11th, four points off the Europa League places, with Lecce
three points above the relegation zone.
Elsewhere, Mario Balotelli’s Brescia earned a point with a 1-1 draw at
home against Udinese in new coach Diego Lopez’s first game in charge of the
basement club.
Jeremie Boga scored late to grab a 2-1 win for Sassuolo at SPAL.
BSS/AFP/MSY/0947 hrs