Inter took full advantage of Juventus’ slip-up to return to the top of the Serie A table with a hard-fought 1-0 victory at Fiorentina. Lautaro Martinez turned on a talismanic mode to inspire Nerazzurri to a third consecutive league win.
Only days after scoring an injury-time winner to take Inter to the Supercoppa Italiana podium, Martinez headed home Kristjan Asllani’s corner-kick delivery to stun Stadio Artemio Franchi into silence.
Little did anyone know his 14th-minute goal would be the difference at full-time, especially after Yann Sommer handed Vincenzo Italiano’s side a penalty in the 76th minute. However, he atoned for his mistake by thwarting Nicolas Gonzalez with a routine save.
Inter returned to the top of the pile, leaving second-placed Juventus one point behind. As they still have a game in hand, this win could prove crucial in deciding a fiercely-contested Scudetto battle.
Let’s look at our player ratings.
Inter (3-5-2)
Yann Sommer – 7
With each game passing, Inter’s decision to replace Andre Onana with the veteran Swiss goalkeeper makes more sense. Such a safe pair of gloves! It’s no wonder Nerazzurri have conceded only four goals on 11 Serie A travels this season.
Alessandro Bastoni – 7
Dealing with N’Zola’s intimidating physical presence can be a tough ask, but the Italian defender fared well against the robust striker. In addition, he showcased his well-documented technical skills on several occasions.
Stefan de Vrij – 7.5
The Dutchman demonstrated his value with another reassuring performance at the heart of Inzaghi’s backline, dominating aerial duels while timing his defensive tackles to perfection.
Benjamin Pavard – 6.5
His ability to perform under pressure adds an extra layer of quality to this impenetrable Inter rearguard. But it feels like he’s still not 100% fit.
Carlos Augusto – 7
Handed a rare chance to start ahead of Federico Dimarco, the Monza loanee didn’t fail to impress. He wasn’t shy to venture forward on any given opportunity without neglecting his defensive duties.
Davide Frattesi – 6
Filled the vacancy left by Nicolo Barella’s suspension, the highly-rated midfielder worked his socks off in the engine room and was heavily involved on both ends of the field. But he often lacked composure in critical moments.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan – 7.5
In the absence of Hakan Calhanoglu, the experienced Armenian assumed the playmaker’s role and excelled. His energy and ability to drift past defenders stood out tonight.
Kristjan Asllani – 7
Selected to fill Calhanoglu’s shoes, the Albanian stood firm at the forefront of the Inter midfield and even picked up an assist for his trouble.
Matteo Darmian – 6.5
It’s incredible how adaptable the Italian veteran is. Back to the full-back position, he delivered another rock-solid display, neutralizing Jonathan Ikone.
Marcus Thuram – 6
It was an atypically quiet night for the French star as he spent most of the game cut off from the rest of the pack, failing to impact proceedings like he did in Inter’s last Serie A travel when they dismantled Monza 5-1.
Lautaro Martinez – 7.5
He’s inevitable! A powering header on the near post to open the scoring and get Inter over the line for the second game running solidified his status as the club hero.
Substitutes
Denzel Dumfries – 6
Francesco Acerbi – 6.5
Marko Arnautovic – 5.5
Alexis Sanchez – 5
Yann Bisseck – 6.5
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