Inter flying high in Serie A
MILAN: Inter Milan sealed a fourth consecutive win in as many games to sit top of Serie A with a 2-0 victory at Crotone on Saturday as AS Roma eased past Verona 3-0.
The win in Calabria allowed Luciano Spalletti’s Inter to position themselves among the title challengers alongside champions Juventus and Napoli, who will also bid to make it four out of four late yesterday.
But Spalletti’s side suffered in the heat of a region in the toe of southern Italy until late strikes from Milan Skriniar and Ivan Perisic put them top.
“It wasn’t easy,” said Spalletti. “Winning in these circumstances shows we can adapt.
“It was very hot in Calabria, the pitch was very dry and slowed down the pace of the ball, while the wind also created problems in the first half.”
But former Roma boss Spalletti refused to get carried away despite his side’s unblemished record this season.
“We are not interested in the table right now, we just did what we had to do. It’s a long road ahead of us and we won’t get swept up in the moment.”
AS Roma’s win at the Stadio Olympio allowed the side from the capital — who have a game in hand — to move into the top half of the table and ease the pressure on coach Eusebio Di Francesco after a goalless draw in the Champions League to Atletico Madrid.
Edin Dzeko, who made headlines for criticising Di Francesco’s tactics in the Atletico stalemate, hit back with a brace on 34 and 61 minutes with Alessandro Florenzi marking his comeback after nearly a year out injured with an assist.
Radja Nainggolan had gotten the Romans off the mark after 22 minutes under driving rain, with Patrik Schick making his debut and almost scoring.
“We could have scored more goals, at least I could have,” said Bosnian striker Dzeko as Roma take their points tally to six after three games and sit seventh.
“These games are to be won, they end up being decisive,” said Di Francesco.
Earlier Fiorentina followed on from last week’s 5-0 rout of Verona with a 2-1 win at home against Bologna in a game dubbed the “Apennines derby” because of the mountain range separating the two cities. AFP