Martinez brace puts Inter on top, Napoli tighten grip on third spot
On a night of wild swings in Serie A, Inter Milan came from two goals down on Friday to beat Empoli and later Juventus conceded two late goals to lose at Genoa.
In Milan, Lautaro Martinez scored twice as Inter fought back to beat Empoli 4-2 and jump to the top of Serie A.
“The team showed character. We’re here,” said Inter coach Simone Inzaghi on DAZN.
In the late game, Juventus dominated relegation-haunted Genoa only to concede an 87th minute equaliser and a 96th minute penalty, converted by Domenico Criscito, who had missed a late derby penalty a week earlier. “Football gives and takes,” said Criscito. Inter moved one point ahead of rivals AC Milan and have a superior goal difference but have played a game more.
AC Milan will go back on top if they win at Verona on Sunday.
At the San Siro, Empoli, who are in 14th, dominated
With two matches let, Napoli are third on 73 points, ahead of fourth-placed Juventus, whose chances of winning the title ended ater shock defeat at relegation-threatened Genoa
the first half-hour with Andrea Pinamonti, who is on loan from Inter, puting the visitors ahead ater just five minutes.
Albanian midfielder Kristjan Asllani added a second ater 28 minutes.
Inter were level by haltime with Empoli captain Simone Romagnoli puting through his own net five minutes before the break and Martinez grabbing his first just before the whistle.
The Argentine was on target again in the 64th minute with his 19th goal of the season before former Arsenal striker Alexis Sanchez added a fourth in the dying seconds.
“This comeback victory against a very well organised opponent gives me great confidence,” said Inzhagi.
Genoa remained 19th and second from botom, but closed to a point behind resurgent Salernitana in 17th. Juventus dominated but only led by one goal, a beautiful strike by Paulo Dybala, in the 48th minute.
The Argentine later hit a post and Dusan Vlahovic and Moise Kean also squandered chances.
With the Italian Cup Final looming next week, Juventus made changes.
Vlahovic and Dybala were among stars watching from the bench by the time Albert Gudmundsson scored an 87th minute equaliser.
Six minutes into added time, Juventus defender Matia De Sciglio conceded a penalty.
Genoa captain Criscito had been given a similar chance in the Genoa derby the week before but squandered a 96th minute penalty against Sampdoria that would have given his team a draw. But he didn’t hesitate and this time scored to earn an unexpected three points. “We’re still here,” said Criscito. Meanwhile, Napoli opened a four-point lead over Juventus in the race for third place ater Fabian Ruiz’s second-half goal helped them win 1-0 at Torino on Saturday.
With two matches let, Napoli are third on 73 points, ahead of fourth-placed Juventus, whose chances of winning the title ended ater shock defeat at relegation-threatened Genoa.
Ater a dispiriting first half in which Napoli struggled to finish off their chances, central midfielder Ruiz found the breakthrough, firing in a low effort in the 73rd minute. Napoli have already qualified for next season’s Champions League but will want to finish as high as possible ater their bid to claim a first league title in over 30 years faltered in the final weeks of the campaign.
“We managed to qualify for the Champions League, a huge goal, and some people don’t seem to understand that,” Spalleti told DAZN.
“We should get some credit for what we’ve achieved this season.”
Southern Italy’s biggest club last won the league in 1990, when Diego Maradona was still struting his stuff, and topped the table on several occasions this season.