Rome, May 22 (IANS) Inter Milan’s winning streak came to a halt as Napoli asserted their dominance with a 3-1 victory against the Nerazzurri in Serie A, a match that saw Roberto Gagliardini receive a red card.
Inter Milan had been in fine form, securing eight consecutive victories across all competitions before Sunday’s game. They were eyeing a top-four finish while Napoli had clinched the Scudetto earlier in May, reports Xinhua.
Napoli controlled the first half, taking the majority of the shots but failing to score. Inter, meanwhile, were reduced to 10 men when Gagliardini received his second yellow for a careless tackle.
The home side sustained their pressure, tipping the match’s balance in the 67th minute. Piotr Zielinski’s pass found Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, who skillfully flicked the ball upwards, spun around and drove it home.
Giovanni Simeone believed he had extended the lead in the 79th minute, but his goal was disallowed due to a foul during the build-up. On the other end, Romelu Lukaku managed to equalize by capitalizing on Federico Dimarco’s assist.
Napoli quickly reestablished their lead in spectacular fashion. Captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo darted in from the right and unleashed a powerful, precise curler into the top corner.
In the final minutes, an unmarked Gianluca Gaetano sealed Napoli’s victory, deftly chipping the ball over the advancing goalkeeper, Andre Onana.
Elsewhere, Lazio edged out Udinese 1-0 thanks to a penalty from Ciro Immobile. This victory catapulted them to third place, nudging Inter down to fourth.
In other Sunday fixtures, Spezia eked out a point in a goalless draw with Lecce, which resulted in Cremonese becoming the second team to be relegated to Serie B. Torino and Fiorentina finished their match at 1-1.
–IANS
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