Lautaro Martinez scored twice for Inter in a 2-1 victory at Cremonese. The visitors played poorly, especially in the first half, but the Argentina star helped his side avoid yet another disappointing result. For the hosts, it was a night to forget, as David Okereke scored a brilliant goal from outside the box, but La Cremo failed to salvage even a singular point.
Andre Onana – 6.5
Onana had no chance to save the hosts’ stunning opening goal, and Cremonese failed to challenge the Belgian otherwise.
Alessandro Bastoni – 6
When attacking, Bastoni pushed up the left wing, allowing Federico Dimarco to advance into the interior of the pitch. While his time on the ball did not lead to much, the centre-back played solidly on the defensive end.
Francesco Acerbi – 6.5
In the first half, the former Lazio captain was quite fortunate not to receive a red card for an apparent last-man challenge on Okereke. However, like his fellow centre-backs, he played well overall, shutting down the hosts’ inconsistent attack.
Matteo Darmian – 7
As Cremonese mounted a number of dangerous counter attacks, Darmian’s impressive display on the backline neutralized several chances. Facing an in-form Okereke, the centre-back played well in place of the suspended Milan Skriniar, winning several tackles and cutting out a handful of attacks.
Federico Dimarco – 8
Throughout the match, Dimarco provided wonderful service both from the corner and from crosses. The wing-back created more than his fair share of chances, but his side struggled to convert in the box.
Denzel Dumfries – 8
From the right wing, the Dutchman turned in a typically strong performance. He gave the hosts serious problems on the flank, beating Johan Vasquez and Emanuele Valeri with ease. However, his efforts did not lead to a goal, as Inter’s finishing was not at its best.
Roberto Gagliardini – 7
The midfielder played an active role in Inter’s domination of possession. In a Brozovic-esque showing, he broke up Cremonese’s counter attacks with strong challenges, while constantly looking to switch the field.
Hakan Calhanoglu – 6
In a reserved midfield role, Calhanoglu was at fault for Okereke’s opening goal. The midfield lazily closed down the forward, allowing him to fire off one of the best strikes of the season.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan – 5
In contrast to Gagliardini, Mkhitaryan was not nearly as involved in the midfield. He combined decently with Dimarco and Bastoni on the left wing, but he struggled to create chances either on the dribble or with decisive passing.
Edin Dzeko – 5.5
While Dzeko positioned himself perfectly for several shot attempts, the forward’s finishing was disappointing. His shot lacked its usual bite, and one point-blank attempt was hit directly at the goalkeeper from just eight yards out.
Lautaro Martinez – 8.5
The World Cup winner was in brilliant form, scoring both the equalizer and game-winning goal. While his first goal was a straightforward tap-in, he showed off significant skill on the second, and he created several chances for his teammates throughout the match.
Second-place Inter move to within 10 points of league leaders Napoli after a Lautaro Martinez brace against Cremonese gave them all 3 points. ?⚫️ pic.twitter.com/HFT2P29GD4
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) January 28, 2023
Substitutes
Roben Gosens – 5
After the wing-back replaced Dimarco, the quality of play noticeably dropped on Inter’s left flank.
Kristjan Asllani – 6
The midfielder took care of the ball and distributed it well during his 30 minutes on the pitch.