Inter quashed almost any hope their city rivals AC Milan had of winning the Serie A title by jumping 10 points clear at the top following Saturday’s 2-0 win over Lazio at the San Siro.
Sweden forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic was the inspiration behind the win, scoring one goal and creating the other for the reigning champions.
Inter came into the game without a win in their last three matches and having seen Milan halve a previous deficit of 14 points to their bitter city rivals.
PHOTO: AP
But any thoughts that Jose Mourinho’s team might be cracking under the pressure were dispelled by Ibrahimovic’s magical right boot.
Mourinho said it is only a matter of time before his team, who need two wins from their final four matches, can celebrate the title.
“I think we’ll do it. It seems like the scudetto will never arrive, but it will,” Mourinho said.
Inter made a bright start and Brazilian winger Mancini, making a rare start, shot wide of the near post from 12m inside two minutes.
Ibrahimovic almost opened the scoring on 23 minutes when veteran Portuguese winger Luis Figo picked him out in the box with a pinpoint cross, but his header went just wide of the far post with Fernando Muslera well beaten in the Lazio goal.
The Swede then turned provider on 31 minutes as he clipped a cross into the box for Sulley Muntari, whose flying header from 8m out sailed wide of the near post when the Ghana midfielder should at least have hit the target.
Chances were few and far between in a quiet first half and after the break Inter’s frustrated fans started displaying their frustration.
Surprisingly, Ibrahimovic was the target after he tried unsuccessfully to beat two players in the box when a pass to the unmarked Muntari would have been a better option.
Some fans jeered the striker, but his reaction was immediate as on 58 minutes he teased two defenders on the edge of the box, shifted the ball onto his right foot and then with minimal back-lift thrashed a rocket past Muslera’s despairing dive.
And 20 minutes from time he was again decisive, playing a clever pass around the corner as three defenders converged on him, allowing Muntari to gallop free and beat Muslera at his near post with a crisp left foot finish.
In the day’s other match, basement side Reggina boosted their survival hopes with a crucial 2-1 victory at Bologna.
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