Martinez double helps Inter cruise past Lecce
Inter Milan maintained its stunning start to 2024 with a 4-0 triumph at struggling Lecce in Serie A.
A Lautaro Martinez double and goals from Davide Frattesi and Stefan De Vrij helped Simone Inzaghi’s in-form team extended its winning run to 10 games in all competitions.
The result saw the Nerazzurri re-establish a nine-point cushion over second-placed Juventus, which had earlier edged Frosinone 3-2. Inter also has a game in hand.
In contrast, Lecce was left just four points above the drop zone having collected only five wins from 26 games.
Martinez was first to threaten for the visitors with an off-target header, before an Pontus Almqvist fired over for the Salentini at the other end after a free-kick had not been cleared.
Inter broke the deadlock in the 15th minute. Kristjan Asllani found Martinez with a neat pass and the Argentinean brought the ball under control before holding off Ahmed Touba and beating goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone with a low right-foot finish.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan dragged a left-foot shot wide as Inter sought to increase its advantage, before Antonio Gallo lashed wastefully wide for the hosts just past the half-hour mark.
Alexis Blin headed over three minutes after the restart as Roberto D’Aversa’s team sought an equaliser. However, hopes of a comeback were ended by two goals in the space of three minutes.
Firstly, Martinez found Alexis Sanchez and the Chile international squared for Frattesi to convert from close range.
Inzaghi brought on Marco Barella for Asllani immediately after the goal and it was 3-0 soon after, Frattesi turning provider with a square pass for Martinez, who tucked away his 22nd goal of the Serie A season.
Roberto Piccoli fired over from distance for the hosts but substitute Lameck Banda had their best chance in the 66th minute, firing a left-foot shot just wide of the far post.
Inter went up the other end and made it 4-0 when De Vrij headed in Federico Dimarco’s corner unchallenged in the 67th minute.
A dismal night for the hosts was summed up when Piccoli fired weakly at Inter keeper Emil Audero, making his Serie A debut because of illness to regular number one Yann Sommer.
Denzel Dumfries wasted a chance to make it 5-0 with a minute remaining when he headed wide from close range.
However, it was a great night for Inzaghi, who was able to rest players and also made five substitutions, with an eye on the rescheduled San Siro clash against Atalanta on Thursday (AEDT).
