Inter thump Lecce to stay in touch with Serie A leaders Napoli

MILAN: Inter Milan kept up the pressure on Serie A leaders Napoli on Sunday with a convincing 4-0 win at lowly Lecce which moved the defending champions three points from the summit.

Goals from Davide Frattesi, Lautaro Martinez, Denzel Dumfries and Mehdi Taremi gave Inter their seventh win in eight league matches in a dominant performance in southern Italy. Simone Inzaghi´s team are also four points ahead of third-placed Atalanta with a game in hand on both their title rivals, their match at Fiorentina which was stopped in December due to Edoardo Bove´s on-pitch collapse.

“We approached the match brilliantly and it wasn´t easy because we got back at dawn after the match in Prague on Wednesday, we had two days and then another trip down here,” said Inzaghi. “But in two days we managed to plan an aggressive performance, and they did exactly what I asked.”

Inter are motoring at a key part of the season, with Wednesday´s visit of Monaco offering a chance to confirm direct qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League and the derby with AC Milan coming up next weekend.

Saturday´s win was their eighth in a row away from home in Serie A, and they haven´t even conceded a goal on the road in Italy´s top flight since their first win in that run, at Udinese in late September.

Inter could have won by more as Carlos Augusto and Frattesi had goals ruled out for tight offsides within a minute of each other midway through the first half. By that point the away side were leading through Frattesi´s sixth-minute tap in which came after some fantastic footwork and a smart pass from Marcus Thuram.

Captain Martinez rifled in his sixth goal in eight matches in all competitions six minutes before the break and the Argentina striker was key to Dumfries sealing the points with a brilliant backheeled assist just as Lecce were getting a foothold in the game.

Taremi capped a near-perfect evening for Inter with his first goal in Serie A, slotted home from the penalty spot after Frattesi was tripped by Lecce goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone. AC Milan turned jeers to cheers as two goals in stoppage time led to a stunning 3-2 win of a chaotic lunchtime clash with Parma.