AC Milan draw hands Inter derby title shot, Ndicka scare for Roma
MILAN: Runaway leaders Inter Milan will hope to clinch their 20th Italian league title in the Milan derby despite being held to a late 2-2 draw by struggling Cagliari in Serie A on Sunday.
With six games left Inter, who have 83 points from 32 games, hold a 14-point advantage over second-placed AC Milan, who drew 3-3 at relegationthreatened Sassuolo earlier on Sunday.
Inter can secure the championship if they beat Stefano Pioli’s side later this month at San Siro.
“We’re disappointed by a missed victory, we took the lead twice and wanted to take the match home,” Inter coach Simone Inzaghi told a press conference.
“But we know that Monday [April 22] is the first big opportunity, we are close to a goal that we all want to reach.
“We are thinking about an objective which we’ve had in mind since July 13... We must not let our guard down.”
Inter won their last league title in 2020-21.
Inter, who drew for the second time in their last four league games, were without Serie A top scorer Lautaro Martinez and defender Benjamin Pavard, who missed out through suspension and were replaced by Alexis Sanchez and Alessandro Bastoni.
Marcus Thuram gave Inter the lead in the 12th minute before Eldor Shomurodov levelled for Cagliari after the break. Hakan Calhanoglu restored the lead for the hosts in the 74th from the spot but Cagliari levelled again when Nicolas Viola struck.
Inter started strongly and Sanchez set up forward Thuram for the Frenchman to give them the early lead from close range. Cagliari equalised in the 64th minute when Zito Luvumbo set up Shomurodov.
Inter got back on track when they were awarded a penalty for a handball by Yerry Mina and Calhanoglu converted.
However, Cagliari found another equaliser seven minutes from time when Viola struck from near the penalty spot.
NDICKA COLLAPSE
Evan Ndicka of fifth-placed Roma is recovering from an on-pitch collapse with an apparent chest problem which caused play at his team’s match at Udinese to be abandoned.
“Evan is feeling better and is in good spirits. He will remain in the hospital for further observations,” said Roma on social media.
Ivory Coast’s Ndicka dropped to the ground with an apparent chest problem in the 70th minute with the teams level at 1-1.
RESULTS Serie A
Inter Milan 2 (Thuram 12, Calhanoglu 74-pen) Cagliari 2 (Shomurodov 64, Viola 83), Napoli 2 (Politano 16, Osimhen 63) Frosinone 2 (Cheddira 50, 73), Sassuolo 3 (Pinamonti 4, Lauriente 10, 53) AC Milan 3 (Leao 20, Jovic 59, Okafor 84), Udinese 1 (Pereyra 23) Roma 1 (Lukaku 64) — match abandoned after Evan Ndicka collapsed in the 70th minute. Game to be finished at date yet to be confirmed
Las Palmas 0 Sevilla 2 (En-Nesyri 43, Lukebakio 90+3), Granada 2 (Uzuni 9-pen, Boye 38) Alaves 0, Athletic Bilbao 1 (Sancet 67) Villarreal 1 (Parejo 90+5-pen), Real Sociedad 2 (Becker 32, Oyarzabal 59) Almeria 2 (Embarba 30, 88-pen)