A contentious penalty proved to be the difference between Inter Milan and Juventus in the Derby d’Italia on Sunday night, providing the former with the maximum points and the bragging rights.
The Nerazzurri registered just five shots on goal against Juventus’s 22 but still came away with the three points from their rivals’ home ground. Inter kept up with the title-chasing pair AC Milan and Napoli in doing so – they finished the day in third place with 63 points, three behind the joint leaders of the league.
Juve hit the bar early in the first half and the post late in the second. Inter, however, took the lead in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time through Hakan Calhanoglu’s penalty, which the Turkish international was allowed to retake after Matthijs de Ligt had encroached into the box illegally. His initial attempt was saved by goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.
Nonetheless, Simone Inzaghi’s men took the lead with them into the break and were still faced with the monumental task of protecting it for the remaining 45 – which they did successfully.
Elsewhere, Napoli kept their hopes of a first Serie A title since the days of Diego Maradona alive by beating Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta 3-1. Lorenzo Insigne, a Neapolitan legend now in his final weeks in Napoli, put the Partenopei ahead from the spot in the 14th minute after his strike partner Dries Mertens was brought down inside the box by goalkeeper Juan Musso.
Matteo Politano, the final third of Napoli’s attacking trident, swivelled and shot his side two goals ahead in the 37th minute, played through, once again, by Insigne.
Marten de Roon pulled a goal back for La Dea shortly after the restart with a header from the center of the box. However, as Atalanta committed men forward in search of the equalizer, Napoli found themselves with spaces to exploit, which is what Hirving Lozano did with his pace in the 81st minute before threading the ball for Elif Elmas, who put Napoli 3-1 ahead and sealed the points.
Luciano Spalletti’s men went level with league leaders AC Milan on 66 points, thanks to the win. But the Rossoneri have the opportunity to pull away from the chasers when they play Bologna on Monday night.
