Lautaro Martínez Brace Ensures Inter on Tail of Leaders
Inter forward Lautaro Martínez scored a second-half brace to earn his team a 2-0 victory at Pisa, keeping the visitors firmly involved in the Serie A championship battle in spite of a less than convincing performance.
Standings Overview
Under Cristian Chivu, Inter now sit in third position in the standings with 27 points total, level with second-placed Roma and just one point adrift of table-toppers Milan. Meanwhile, Pisa occupy the 18th spot with 10 points.
Game Recap
Inter arrived in Tuscany looking to get back on track after enduring a derby defeat by Milan recently, followed by a Champions League defeat at Atlético Madrid. However, they were forced to fight all the way by newly-promoted Pisa. The home team created plenty of opportunities, but a clinical Inter broke the deadlock in the 69th minute when Argentinian Martínez drilled a one-time shot into the top of the net. The forward then tapped in from close range with seven minutes remaining.
The team’s ability to score despite difficult circumstances proved crucial in securing the victory.
Other European Matches
In Spain, the Basque side staged a dramatic fightback from 2-0 down to level at home against Villarreal, only to succumb to a goal five minutes into added time. The visitors’ goals came from Ayoze Pérez just after the 30-minute mark and Alberto Moleiro in the 57th minute, but Carlos Soler soon pulled one back and Ander Barrenetxea leveled the score three minutes from time. Yet, Moleiro had the last word deep into added time.
Later on Spanish match, Real Madrid travel to Girona needing a win to return to the summit above Barcelona, who secured a 3-1 win over Alavés on Saturday.
- The Nerazzurri remain in close pursuit for the Italian title.
- Martínez proved his worth with a match-winning display.
- The title race continues with multiple teams in the mix.
