Lautaro Martínez Brace Ensures Inter in Pursuit of Leaders
Inter forward Lautaro Martínez netted a second-half brace to earn his team a 2-0 victory at Pisa, keeping the visitors very much engaged in the Serie A title race despite a less than convincing performance.
Standings Overview
Under manager Cristian Chivu, Inter currently are placed in third position in the table with 27 points, level with runner-up Roma and just one point behind table-toppers Milan. In contrast, Pisa hold the 18th spot with 10 points.
Match Recap
Inter arrived in Tuscany aiming to get back on track after suffering a loss to rivals by Milan last weekend, which was followed by a European defeat at Atlético Madrid. However, they were forced to fight all the way by promoted Pisa. The home team created numerous chances, but a efficient Inter broke the deadlock in the 69th minute when Argentinian Martínez smacked a one-time shot into the top of the net. The attacker then finished from point-blank with seven minutes remaining.
Inter’s ability to convert despite difficult circumstances was crucial in securing the victory.
Other European Matches
In Spain, Real Sociedad mounted a dramatic fightback from 2-0 down to equalize at home against Villarreal, only to lose to a late strike five minutes into added time. The visitors’ scoring came from Ayoze Pérez just after the half-hour mark and Alberto Moleiro in the 57th minute, but Carlos Soler quickly pulled one back and Ander Barrenetxea leveled the score three minutes from time. Yet, Moleiro had the last word deep into added time.
In the late La Liga fixture, Real Madrid journey to Girona requiring a win to go back to the summit above Barcelona, who secured a 3-1 triumph over Alavés on Saturday.
- The Nerazzurri stay in close contention for the Italian crown.
- Martínez proved his value with a match-winning display.
- The battle for first continues with several teams competing.