Inter Milan delivered a commanding second-half performance to secure a 3-1 victory over Empoli at the San Siro. By closing the gap to Serie A leaders Napoli to just three points, Inter Milan extended its unbeaten run in the league to 15 matches.
With Napoli edging out Atalanta 3-2 on Saturday, Simone Inzaghi’s men knew they could not afford any slip-ups against mid-table Empoli, a team they had previously defeated in their last four encounters. Despite dominating possession in the first half, Inter struggled to carve out clear opportunities and were largely restricted to efforts from distance.
Nicolo Barella, eager to add to his three league goals this season, attempted a couple of ambitious volleys, both soaring over the crossbar. Captain Lautaro Martinez had the best opportunities of the opening period, with his overhead kick denied by Empoli goalkeeper Devis Vasquez before striking the post from close range.
Empoli, content to sit back and absorb the pressure, offered little in attack, leaving Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer with little to do before the interval.
However, Inter found their breakthrough early in the second half thanks to a moment of brilliance from Martinez. Picking up the ball from around 25 yards out, the Argentine striker unleashed a powerful strike into the top corner. Vasquez managed to get a hand to it, but the sheer precision and power of the shot proved too much to handle.
Martinez came close to doubling his tally shortly after, but Vasquez stood firm to deny him. With a congested fixture schedule ahead, Inzaghi opted to make changes, introducing Henrikh Mkhitaryan among others to maintain momentum.
Inter doubled their advantage when Denzel Dumfries rose highest to head home Kristjan Asllani’s well-delivered corner. Empoli briefly threatened to mount a comeback when Sebastiano Esposito, formerly of Inter, produced a tidy finish to reduce the deficit. However, the Nerazzurri restored their two-goal cushion when Marcus Thuram capitalised on a swift counter-attack to seal the victory.
The result keeps Inter firmly in the title race, as they now turn their focus to their upcoming UEFA Champions League clash against Sparta Praha. Meanwhile, Empoli face a crucial home fixture against Bologna next week. They remain perilously close to the relegation zone, having won just two of their last 11 league matches.
Inter’s impressive form continues, and with Martinez in such scintillating form, they remain well-positioned to challenge for the Scudetto.
