Lukaku inspires emphatic Inter win
Sebastiano Esposito made history while Romelu Lukaku scored two goals and provided an assist as a depleted Inter Milan thumped Genoa 4-0 at home to ensure it ends 2019 top of Serie A.
Inter scored twice in 99 seconds just after the half-hour mark to set up the emphatic win at San Siro, Lukaku netting a header that was followed up by a Roberto Gagliardini strike as Antonio Conte's men moved above Juventus on goal difference.
At 17, Esposito became Inter's youngest player to start a Serie A match in the 21st century as Conte shuffled his pack because of a host of absentees and the teenager made sure of victory with a second-half penalty, before Lukaku, who had allowed him to take the spot-kick, struck once more.
Former Inter midfielder Thiago Motta is likely to lose his job as Genoa boss after his uninspired side was left with only two wins from 17 league games heading into the festive break.
Esposito had the first chance as he forced a low save from Ionut Radu, who then had to produce an even better stop from a looping Gagliardini header.
There was little Radu, who is on loan at Genoa from Inter, could do to prevent the opener, Lukaku stooping to power in Antonio Candreva's right-wing cross from eight yards.
The goalkeeper got a hand on Gagliardini's 12-yard strike but could not prevent it from crossing the line after a deflection off Cristian Romero, Lukaku having shown good strength to set up his team-mate.
Samir Handanovic made his first save from Antonio Sanabria but Inter got a 64th-minute penalty when Kevin Agudelo tripped Gagliardini and Esposito did the rest, powering a low strike beyond Radu to become the club's second youngest league scorer.
Lukaku's second was the pick of the goals, the striker collecting a pass from Candreva, cutting inside from the right and arrowing an unstoppable effort into the top corner.
