Lautaro Martínez Double Ensures Inter Milan on Tail of Leaders
Inter striker Lautaro Martínez scored a late double to secure his side a 2-0 victory at Pisa, keeping the away side very much involved in the Serie A championship battle despite a somewhat shaky performance.
League Table Overview
Led by Cristian Chivu, Inter now are placed third in the table with 27 points total, tied with second-placed Roma and only one point behind leaders Milan. Meanwhile, Pisa hold the third bottom position with 10 points.
Match Recap
Inter arrived in Tuscany aiming to get back on track after enduring a loss to rivals by Milan recently, which was followed by a Champions League loss at Atlético Madrid. However, they were made to battle throughout by newly-promoted Pisa. The hosts created plenty of opportunities, but a clinical Inter broke the deadlock in the 69th minute mark when Argentinian Martínez smacked a first-time shot into the roof of the net. The attacker then finished from point-blank with seven minutes remaining.
The team’s capacity to convert even with pressure was crucial in securing three points.
Additional European Action
Across in Spain, the Basque side mounted a dramatic fightback from 2-0 down to level at home against Villarreal, only to lose to a late strike five minutes into stoppage time. Villarreal’s goals came from Ayoze Pérez just after the half-hour mark and Alberto Moleiro in the 57th minute, but Carlos Soler soon reduced the deficit and Ander Barrenetxea equalised three minutes from time. However, Moleiro had the last word deep into stoppage time.
In the late Spanish fixture, Real Madrid travel to Girona needing a victory to return to the summit ahead of Barcelona, who recorded a 3-1 triumph over Alavés on Saturday.
- The Nerazzurri remain in close contention for the Serie A title.
- Martínez proved his worth with a match-winning display.
- The title race goes on with several clubs competing.
