MILAN, Jan 31, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Romelu Lukaku scored a second-half double
as Inter Milan kept the pressure on Serie A leaders AC Milan with a 4-0 win
over Benevento on Saturday.
Antonio Conte’s Inter sit two points behind their city rivals, who beat
Bologna 2-1 earlier on Saturday.
A Riccardo Improta own goal put the hosts ahead early on against 11th-
placed Benevento at the San Siro.
Lautaro Martinez scored 12 minutes after the break before Lukaku added two
more.
Champions Juventus moved into third, seven points off top spot with a game
in hand, after a 2-0 win over Sampdoria.
Milan bounced back after losses to Atalanta in the league and to Inter in
the Italian Cup on Tuesday, a game in which Zlatan Ibrahimovic was sent off.
“It was a strong response from the team. A victory that gives us
confidence at the end of a difficult week,” said Milan coach Stefano Pioli.
The midweek Milan derby was overshadowed by a clash between Ibrahimovic
and former Manchester United teammate Lukaku.
Ibrahimovic on Saturday drew a blank for a second straight league game for
the first time this season.
Bologna goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski made a brilliant double save from the
Swede early on.
The visitors were awarded a penalty when Mitchell Dijks brought down
Rafael Leao, with Ibrahimovic stepping up to take it.
But the 39-year-old’s poor record from the spot continued with his fourth
penalty miss in all competitions this season.
Luckily, Ante Rebic was on hand to slide in the rebound after Skorupski’s
save.
Franck Kessie took Milan’s second penalty 10 minutes after the break
following an Adama Soumaoro handball.
The Ivorian made no mistake, planting the ball into the middle of the net.
“The penalty taker is Ibra, it’s up to him, when he doesn’t feel like
taking it, I kick,” said Kessie.
Substitute Andrea Poli pulled a goal back for 13th-placed Bologna against
his former club with nine minutes to go.
– Eriksen makes mark again –
In Milan, Inter’s Christian Eriksen, who scored a late winner in the Cup
derby, set up the first goal in the seventh minute when his free-kick was
turned into his own net by Improta.
Martinez ended his six-match goal drought on 57 minutes with a left-footed
strike into the bottom corner.
Achraf Hakimi had a goal ruled out for offside, but seconds later
Benevento goalkeeper Lorenzo Montipo’s dreadful pass was intercepted by
Martinez, who set up Lukaku to score.
Substitute Alexis Sanchez served up the fourth for Lukaku with 12 minutes
to go, bringing the striker’s tally to 14 league goals this season, one fewer
than Serie A leading scorer Ronaldo.
“(Eriksen) is adapting very well to this new role,” said Inter assistant
coach Cristian Stellini, standing in for Conte who is serving a two-match
ban.
“He’s working hard, now he has the opportunity to prove his worth.”
In Genoa, Ronaldo failed to score for the third consecutive league game,
but Juventus continued their climb up the table.
The Portuguese striker has been criticised for breaking coronavirus rules
with a visit to a mountain resort for his girlfriend’s birthday.
“Ronaldo always does his bit for the team and it’s not a problem if he
doesn’t score,” said Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo.
Federico Chiesa opened the scoring on 20 minutes after a move involving
all three Juventus forwards.
Alvaro Morata played a one-two with Ronaldo, before the Spaniard’s low
cross was slotted in by Chiesa.
Claudio Ranieri’s Sampdoria came close to an equaliser, with Juventus
goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny denying Fabio Quagliarella a goal against his
former club on the eve of his 38th birthday.
Morata had a goal ruled out for offside on 56 minutes for Juve, who had to
wait until injury time to score a second.
Ronaldo’s cross-field pass found the run of Juan Cuadrado who laid it on a
plate for Ramsey to tap in his second league goal of the season.
“The attitude is right, we finish a positive January in which we have
grown a lot, even if we could have killed off the game sooner,” said Juventus
centre-back Giorgio Chiellini.