Dimarco delights as Inter surges clear at the top
Federico Dimarco set Inter Milan on the path to a 2-0 victory over Genoa with a stunning opener at San Siro before Hakan Calhanoglu sealed the deal with a penalty to open up a 13-point gap at the top of Serie A for Cristian Chivu's side.
Dimarco found the net with a perfect left-foot volley from a tight angle just after the half-hour mark, firing home a sublime ball over the top from Henrikh Mkhitaryan to give Inter a half-time lead.
Calhanoglu entered the arena just before the hour, replacing Mkhitaryan, and bagged himself another goal from the penalty spot after Alex Amorim handled in the box, moments after Inter had hit the post in open play.
Genoa rarely threatened as Inter saw out the win, bouncing back after a disappointing UEFA Champions League play-off exit to Bodo/Glimt in midweek.
Ange-Yoan Bonny twice called Justin Bijlow into early action, with the goalkeeper getting across sharply to push away his curler before pouncing onto the forward's header on either side of Henrikh Mkhitaryan's deflected looping effort rattling the crossbar.
But in the 31st minute, just after that second save, Bijlow was beaten as Dimarco's stunning form continued when he fizzed a first-time effort into the bottom-right corner after watching Mkhitaryan's pass drop over his shoulder.
Genoa attempted to impose itself on the game without causing Yann Sommer any problems, before substitute Amorim gave away the penalty.
Calhanoglu confidently stepped up to take the resulting spot-kick, powering his effort into the bottom-right corner with 20 minutes remaining.
Genoa almost snatched a consolation through a late Manuel Akanji own-goal, but the defender's wayward touch was straight at a relieved Sommer as Inter held out for a clean sheet and all three points.
AC Milan can reduce the gap back to 10 points when it travels to struggling Cremonese later on Sunday (AEDT), a match the Rossoneri are expected to win easily.
