MILAN, ITALY - NOVEMBER 03: Lautaro Martinez of FC Internazionale scores his team's first goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Venezia at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on November 03, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
MILAN, ITALY - NOVEMBER 03: Lautaro Martinez of FC Internazionale scores his team's first goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Venezia at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on November 03, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Lautaro Martinez scored his first Serie A goal at San Siro for eight months to eventually break down Venezia with a huge late scare and take Inter within a point of leaders Napoli.

The Nerazzurri had Hakan Calhanoglu, Francesco Acerbi and Kristjan Asllani not fully fit, with Carlos Augusto out of action, so Piotr Zielinski stepped in as the playmaker. The Lagunari were fresh from a 3-2 comeback victory after trailing 2-0 to 10-man Udinese midweek and started Inter youth products Filip Stankovic and Gaetano Oristanio.

See how it unfolded on the Liveblog.

Lautaro Martinez’s half-volley skimmed the upright from just inside the area as Marcus Thuram cushioned down a cross, then the Argentine’s glancing header on a corner flashed across the face of goal.

Federico Dimarco won it back in midfield to send Thuram and Nicolò Barella clear on goal, but they both failed to make the most of that opportunity, while Thuram also fired against the side-netting after shaking off Giorgio Altare.

Denzel Dumfries rolled across the face of goal for the Henrikh Mkhitaryan tap-in at the back post, but he didn’t get enough power on it and Stankovic was able to parry.

With all these wasted opportunities, they were almost caught out at the other end, as Joel Pohjanpalo flicked on a Jay Idzes cross from the left, so Yann Sommer made a sensational reaction save on Oristanio’s tap-in.

Inter finally had the ball in the net on 51 minutes when Mkhitaryan started the move, Alessandro Bastoni spread it down the left to Dimarco, who rolled across for the first-time finish with the inside of the left boot. However, Dimarco was offside on the Mkhitaryan goal and it was disallowed by VAR.

MILAN, ITALY - NOVEMBER 03: Referee Maria Ferrieri Caputi interacts with Francesco Zampano of Venezia during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Venezia at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on November 03, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 03: Referee Maria Ferrieri Caputi interacts with Francesco Zampano of Venezia during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Venezia at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on November 03, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Moments later, Venezia had a very similar team move cut short by Sommer’s save on Idzes, while Stankovic got down with one glove to intercept the Lautaro Martinez cross-shot, followed by Mkhitaryan firing the rebound over.

Stankovic also palmed a Dumfries header over, but the breakthrough came at last when Dimarco whipped in a trademark cross from the left for Lautaro Martinez’s cushioned header at the back post. Incredibly, the Argentina international had not scored at San Siro in Serie A for 249 days, since February 28 against Atalanta.

It should’ve been 2-0 moments later on another fantastic Dimarco cross, but Thuram’s first touch was poor and then he fired straight at Stankovic from seven yards.

Bastoni went off with cramp and Calhanoglu made his comeback after a month out. Stankovic made a splendid save to keep out the Thuram header at the top corner, but Medhi Taremi’s follow-up was deflected over by a defender’s arm. However, VAR ruled Thuram was offside and it was therefore not a penalty.

Stankovic was again decisive on a Calhanoglu scorcher from outside the box and Stefan de Vrij’s free header was wide from a corner.

There was an incredible last-gasp situation when Marin Sverko bundled a Ridgeciano Haps cross into the box at the back post at the 97th minute. However, VAR confirmed Sverko had knocked it in with his hand while jumping with Yann Bisseck and the goal was disallowed, followed immediately by the final whistle.

Inter 1-0 Venezia

Lautaro Martinez 65 (I)

Player statistic

1st half
Benjamin Pavard Yellow card 31'    
2nd half
    49' Yellow card Francesco Zampano
Lautaro Martínez
(Assist: Federico Dimarco)
Goal 65'    
Davide Frattesi Yellow card 90+8'    

Match statistic

57
Possession %
43
20
Total shots
7
8
Shots on target
2
6
Shots off target
3
6
Blocked shots
2
9
Corners
3
2
Offsides
1
14
Fouls
15
Inter
Venezia

Starting lineups

1
Goalkeeper
95
70'
28
Defender
32
Defender
76'
6
Defender
2
Midfielder
22
Midfielder
23
Midfielder
70'
7
Midfielder
84'
10
71'
9
Attacker
35
Goalkeeper
7
77'
15
Defender
46'
4
Defender
30
Defender
5
Defender
22
Midfielder
46'
11
Midfielder
14
83'
38
77'
20
Attacker

Substitutes

15
Defender
11
Attacker
8
Attacker
13
Goalkeeper
17
Attacker
12
Goalkeeper
42
Defender
20
Midfielder
70'
31
Defender
70'
99
Attacker
71'
36
Defender
76'
16
Midfielder
84'
79
Defender
45
Attacker
1
Goalkeeper
9
23
Goalkeeper
27
Defender
97
Midfielder
80
Midfielder
21
Defender
25
6
Midfielder
46'
33
Defender
46'
32
Midfielder
77'
77
77'
10
Midfielder
83'
3 thought on “Serie A | Inter 1-0 Venezia: Lautaro ends long home drought”
  1. The right decision was made by VAR, but you have to chuckle seeing Marrotta celebrating like he didn’t know Inter would get the decision. Even if the ball didn’t unintentionally bounce of the venezia player’s arm, they’d have disallowed it for a ‘foul’.

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