Lautaro Martínez Double Keeps Inter on Tail of Leaders
Inter striker Lautaro Martínez netted a late double to secure his team a 2-0 victory at Pisa, keeping the away side very much involved in the Italian league title race in spite of a somewhat shaky display.
Standings Update
Led by manager Cristian Chivu, Inter currently sit third in the standings with 27 points, tied with second-placed Roma and only one point behind table-toppers Milan. In contrast, Pisa hold the 18th spot with 10 points.
Game Recap
Inter arrived in Tuscany looking to return to winning ways after enduring a loss to rivals by Milan last weekend, which was followed by a Champions League loss at Atlético Madrid. However, they were made to battle all the way by newly-promoted Pisa. The hosts generated plenty of chances, but a clinical Inter broke the deadlock in the 69th minute mark when Argentine Martínez smacked a one-time shot into the top of the net. The forward then tapped in from point-blank with seven minutes remaining.
The team’s capacity to score despite difficult circumstances was crucial in earning three points.
Additional European Matches
In Spain, the Basque side mounted a dramatic fightback from 2-0 down to level at home against Villarreal, only to succumb to a late strike five minutes into stoppage time. Villarreal’s scoring came from Ayoze Pérez just after the half-hour mark and Alberto Moleiro in the 57th minute, but Carlos Soler quickly reduced the deficit and Ander Barrenetxea leveled the score three minutes from time. However, Moleiro delivered the last word deep into stoppage time.
In the late La Liga match, Real Madrid journey to Girona needing a win to go back to the summit ahead of Barcelona, who secured a 3-1 win over Alavés on Saturday.
- The Nerazzurri remain in tight pursuit for the Italian crown.
- Martínez proved his worth with a match-winning display.
- The battle for first continues with multiple teams in the mix.
