Icardi and Banega net hat tricks as Inter beat Atalanta 7-1
It was supposed to be a battle for Europe. In the end it was over by the 26th minute and Inter Milan romped to a 7-1 victory over Atalanta in Serie A yesterday.
Mauro Icardi and Ever Banega both scored hat tricks as Inter moved above Atalanta and into fourth place, a point above Lazio, which hosts Torino on Monday.
It remains six points below the Champions League spots.
"We are all doing very well, I”m continuing to do my work," Icardi said.
"I”m happy with my assists, with the help I”m giving the team, with my work with the team. At the end what matters is that the team wins, not only my goals.
"Since (coach Stefano) Pioli arrived there”s been a great change in everyone, in our mentality, in the way in which we work."
Icardi netted his hat trick in nine first-half minutes to take his tally to 20 for the season. He is now second in the goalscoring charts, two behind Torino forward Andrea Belotti.
The Inter captain was again ignored by Edgardo Bauza this week when the Argentina coach named his squad for upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
"I don”t have his number, but I”m working with my team, then if the call from the national team comes it will be a reward for my work," said Icardi, who has made just one seven-minute appearance for his country, back in 2013.
Icardi opened the scoring in the 17th when Ever Banega”s free kick ricocheted off the wall and into his path to fire home.
Icardi had won that free kick and he earned a penalty minutes later when he was felled by Atalanta goalkeeper Etrit Berisha. He coolly chipped the spot kick into the net.
The 24-year-old completed his hat trick in the 26th, heading in Banega”s cross.
Atalanta was shell-shocked and it swiftly got worse as Banega scored twice — both from Antonio Candreva”s crosses — shortly after the half-hour.
The visitors got one back three minutes before the break when Remo Freuler was allowed to dribble unchallenged toward the area and he placed his effort into the far bottom corner.
Roberto Gagliardini, who moved from Atalanta in January, got in on the act seven minutes after the break, smashing Banega”s cross under the crossbar.
Banega completed his hat trick in the 67th with a free kick.
"It”s a huge lesson," Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini said. "We will see in the upcoming weeks if we manage to get back to how we were doing before today.
"At San Siro we learned a lesson which forces us to give our maximum in the next few weeks: there are 10 matches left and we will give our all. We are competing with the big teams and that is not usual for us, but we are in this position and we will fight for it until the end."
NAPOLI 3, CROTONE 0
Lorenzo Insigne bagged a brace and Dries Mertens converted a very contentious penalty as Napoli swept Crotone aside 3-0.
The Partenopei had to focus after their midweek Champions League exit to Real Madrid and made numerous changes, including rare starts for Marko Rog and Leonardo Pavoletti. Crotone had Claiton Dos Santos injured, Aleandro Rosi and Federico Ceccherini suspended.
These sides also met four times in Serie B, Napoli earning two wins, a draw and a 2-1 defeat at the Scida in March 2007.
Jose Callejon”s cross-shot was fingertipped over the bar, then the Spaniard came sliding in just unable to meet Lorenzo Insigne”s cross-field pass.
Alex Cordaz flew to palm an Insigne curler out from the far top corner, but Crotone were dangerous on the counter and Marcello Trotta”s angled drive skimmed the base of the far post.
Insigne did well to shield the ball, so when Mario Sampirisi nudged him from behind, the striker went over to earn a penalty. The local lad converted it himself into the near bottom corner to give Napoli the lead.
Callejon got on the end of another long ball from Insigne, but once again failed to beat the goalkeeper in a one-on-one situation. Marko Rog also went close, his finish skimming the woodwork from a tight angle.
After the restart, the visitors had two great chances to equalise.
First Diego Falcinelli sprung the offside trap and his shot essentially hit Pepe Reina, then on the counter Noe Dussenne”s finish was too weak to trouble the goalkeeper.
Pavoletti wasted the chance to get his first Napoli goal, incredibly
Yesterday Sassuolo-Bologna ............................. 0-1 Chievo-Empoli .................................. 4-0 Fiorentina-Cagliari ........................... 1-0 Inter-Atalanta .................................. 7-1 Napoli-Crotone ................................ 3-0 Pescara-Udinese .............................. 1-3 Palermo-AS Roma ............................ 0-3
Standings
Juventus AS Roma Napoli Inter Lazio Atalanta AC Milan Fiorentina Sampdoria Torino Chievo Udinese Sassuolo Bologna Cagliari Genoa Empoli Palermo Crotone Pescara
Serie B 28 28 28 28 27 28 28 28 28 27 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 28 23 20 18 17 16 16 15 12 11 10 11 9 9 8 9 7 5 3 3 2 1 4 58 19 70 2 6 61 25 62 6 4 65 30 60 3 8 53 29 54 5 6 47 29 53 4 8 43 33 52 5 8 41 32 50 9 7 45 37 45 8 9 35 33 41 9 8 51 43 39 5 12 33 37 38 6 13 32 37 33 4 15 35 43 31 7 13 25 41 31 4 15 36 58 31 8 13 30 42 29 7 16 15 43 22 6 19 23 56 15 5 20 21 48 14 6 20 29 63 12
Yesterday Novara-Pro Vercelli ......................... 0-0 Ternana-Trapani .............................. 2-1 Vicenza-Pisa .................................... 2-1
Lega Pro B
Yesterday Mantova-Parma .............................. 1-1 Sambenedettese-Bassano ............... 1-0 AlbinoLeffe-Teramo ........................ 1-0 Fano-FeralpiSalo ............................. 3-1 Maceratese-Reggiana .................... 2-1 Padova-Santarcangelo .................... 2-0 Pordenone-Sudtirol ......................... 1-0 Venezia-Modena ............................. 1-0 Forli-Lumezzane .............................. 1-3 Gubbio-Ancona ............................... 3-2
Lega Pro C
Yesterday Casertana-Messina ......................... 0-0 Cosenza-Andria .............................. 2-1 Juve Stabia-Paganese ...................... 0-1 Lecce-Catania .................................. 1-0 Melfi-Catanzaro ............................... 1-0 Siracusa-Fondi ................................. 1-0 Taranto-Akragas .............................. 0-2 Matera-Reggina 1914 ...................... 2-0 Vibonese-Virtus Francavilla ............. 2-0
nodding over from point-blank range on a Kalidou Koulibaly cross.
Crotone Coach Davide Nicola was sent off for dissent, as Rog was very fortunate to avoid a red card. Crotone threatened to equalise on the hour mark, as Ivan Strinic had to acrobatically clear a corner almost off the line before Diego Falcinelli could pounce.
Marek Hamsik received a very soft penalty indeed, as he appeared to go looking for contact with Dussenne”s leg.
Nonetheless, substitute Dries Mertens converted the spot-kick to double their lead.
There were no questions about Insigne”s third goal, as he sprung the offside trap and stopped the Jorginho ball over the top dead with a magnificent first touch, allowing him to sweep it past the on-rushing Cordaz.