Inter hammer Cagliari to take charge in Serie A
Reigning champions Inter moved a point ahead of local rivals AC Milan with a statement performance at the San Siro against the Sardinians who had goalkeeper Alessio Cragno to thank the hosts didn't run up double figures.
Inter Milan took advantage of their title rivals slipping up with a thumping 4-0 win over Cagliari on Sunday which ensured they moved top of Serie A.
Reigning champions Inter moved a point ahead of local rivals AC Milan with a statement performance at the San Siro against the Sardinians who had goalkeeper Alessio Cragno to thank the hosts didn't run up double figures.
Lautaro Martinez's brace and two more superb goals from Hakan Calhanoglu and Alexis Sanchez extended Inter's domestic unbeaten run to nine matches and allowed Simone Inzaghi's team to take charge in Italy following Milan's draw at Udinese on Saturday.
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Inter, who racked up 15 shots on target, hit the bar and missed a penalty, are also four points ahead of former leaders Napoli who slipped back to fourth following a shock 1-0 home defeat at the hands of surprise team Empoli.
"We saw a lot of good teams struggle after their European matches so we knew we needed to be focused. The boys were brilliant right from the start," said Inzaghi to DAZN.
"We're top of the league and in the Champions League last 16 after 11 years, it's hard to do much better."
Cagliari are second-from-bottom and their supine performance, even with a number of absences, so angered manager Walter Mazzarri that he left his post- match interview with DAZN after answering just one question.
Martinez opened the scoring with a bullet header from Calhanoglu's corner just before the half hour, and Inter were poised to open a two-goal half-time lead after Cragno brought down the marauding Denzel Dumfries.
Cragno saved Martinez's penalty but four minutes after the break Sanchez doubled Inter's lead with a stunning volley after Nicolo Barella hooked over a flashy cross with his back to the penalty area.
Inter put the match to bed with two brilliant goals in two minutes, with Calhanoglu drifting in from the left flank and lashing home a powerful strike before Martinez made it 10 for the season in the 68th minute, collecting Barella's floated pass and dinking home a delicate finish.
