Inter Milan gain as AC Milan, Napoli falter in Serie A title race

By: APUpdated: April 11, 2022 9:28:23 am

Inter Milan took a big step toward defending its Serie A title without even playing on Sunday.

Serie A leader AC Milan was again let down by its poor finishing in a 0-0 draw at Torino, while Napoli lost 3-2 at home to Fiorentina.

Milan remained top of the Italian league but just two points ahead of Inter, which beat Hellas Verona 2-0 on Saturday and has played a match less than its title rivals. Napoli was also two points behind Milan.

It was a second straight 0-0 draw for Milan. The Rossoneri have only scored four goals in their last seven matches in all competitions, from more than 100 attempts.

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Milan’s hopes of finding its scoring boots diminished even before kickoff as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Ante Rebic, Ismael Bennacer and Samu Castillejo were unable to make the trip through injury.

Coach Stefano Pioli will hope to have them back for next week’s match against Genoa.

In Turin, Milan was again let down by some poor finishing. It would have been worse for the Rossoneri but for several fantastic saves from goalkeeper Mike Maignan.

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Napoli was looking to move top of the league, temporarily at least, but it was Fiorentina that took a surprise lead in the 29th minute. A cross from Alfred Duncan was not cleared and Nicolas Gonzalez controlled the ball on his chest before firing into the top corner.

Dries Mertens was brought on in the 56th and leveled with practically his first touch two minutes later, sweeping the ball into the bottom left corner after Victor Osimhen had raced down the left and pulled back from the byline.

Jonathan Ikone took even less time to have an impact, scoring his debut Serie A goal barely a minute after coming off the bench.

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Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, right, and Fiorentina’s Igor Julio vie for the ball during the Italian Serie A match between Napoli and Fiorentina at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples, Italy, Sunday, April 10, 2022. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)

Napoli thought it had equalized again but Hirving Lozano was called offside and instead it was Fiorentina that extended its advantage in the 72nd as Arthur Cabral sprinted down the left and cut inside past Stanislav Lobotka before curling into the far corner.

Osimhen set up a frantic finale when he pulled one back six minutes from time, chesting the ball down between two defenders and then shooting powerfully into the top corner.

Ciro Immobile netted a hat trick as Lazio won 4-1 at relegation-threatened Genoa to boost its chances of qualifying for Europe.

Adam Marusic scored Lazio’s opener in the 31st and Immobile doubled the side’s lead on the stroke of halftime before adding two more after the break.

Genoa briefly reduced the deficit with a stroke of luck as a pass ricocheted off Patric and the underside of the bar for an own-goal from the Lazio defender.

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Napoli’s Piotr Zielinski kicks the ball during the Italian Serie A match between Napoli and Fiorentina at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples, Italy, Sunday, April 10, 2022. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)

Lazio was sixth, two points below its capital rival Roma which beat bottom club Salernitana 2-1. Jose Mourinho’s team struggled more than expected and needed two late goals to snatch all three points.

Fiorentina is two points behind Lazio and two points above Atalanta, which lost 2-1 at Sassuolo following a double from Hamed Traore.

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Genoa remained three points from safety. It is level on points with Venezia, which lost 2-1 at home to Udinese.

First published on: 11-04-2022 at 09:22:50 am Next Story

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