Serie A
Martinez lifts Inter to Serie A summit
Inter Milan moved to the top of Serie A with a 2-1 victory at Genoa thanks to first-half goals from Yann Bisseck and Lautaro Martinez.… Show More
Inter Milan moved to the top of Serie A with a 2-1 victory at Genoa thanks to first-half goals from Yann Bisseck and Lautaro Martinez.
The result put Inter on 33 points, one ahead of city rival AC Milan and two ahead of Napoli in third. Genoa is 16th with 14 points.
The match was preceded by unrest outside the stadium as supporters of both teams clashed, with several vehicles set on fire before police restored order. The incident did not delay kickoff.
Inter came into the match in a strong position after Milan were held to a draw against Sassuolo and Napoli lost at Udinese earlier on Sunday.
Inter needed only six minutes to take the lead, as defender Bisseck fired a low effort into the near bottom corner.
Martinez doubled Inter's advantage in the 38th minute, powering his way into the area before driving an angled finish into the net.
Genoa improved in the second half and pulled one back in the 68th minute when Vitinha rounded Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer and rolled the ball in.
Play was briefly halted when yellow smoke filled the stadium after a flare was thrown onto the pitch. After play resumed, Inter held on to seal the win.
"It means a lot. We've taken the top spot because we worked hard and knew how to endure," Martinez said. "It's been years that people have talked about Inter because we've been doing well. We are aware of our strength and we want to keep Inter at the top. That's our objective and that's the message in the locker room."
