Dzeko double fires Inter past Atalanta
Two Edin Dzeko goals helped Inter move clear of Atalanta and into Serie A's top form with a 3-2 win at Bergamo going into the FIFA World Cup break.
Inter trailed to Ademola Lookman's penalty on Monday (AEDT), but Dzeko scored either side of half-time to swing the game back in the visitor's favour.
Dzeko's second effort benefited from a deflection off Joakim Maehle, and Atalanta helped the Nerazzurri out again when Jose Luis Palomino put through his own net for the third.
Although Palomino later scored at the right end, it was too little, too late, as Inter opened up a three-point gap to Atalanta, level on points with second-placed Lazio ahead of the rest of the day's action.
Atalanta had started the brighter of the two sides, with Duvan Zapata seeing a pair of early chances blocked before he was caught by Stefan de Vrij's outstretched leg for a penalty that Lookman cleanly converted.
The goal stunned Inter out of its torpor, pushing it onto the front foot, and it was rewarded with Dzeko's finish after the ball was helped into his path by a Lautaro Martinez header.
Atalanta had hoped to reassert their hold on the match following the interval but instead contributed to their own downfall as a combination of Dzeko and Maehle sent Inter in front from Federico Dimarco's cross.
Palomino then glanced an Inter corner past goalkeeper Juan Musso, meaning his own riposte – a diving header with 13 minutes to play – was not enough to recover an Atalanta result.
