Lautaro Martinez and Hakan Calhanoglu scored two apiece, including a penalty each, as Inter thumped Monza 5-1.
The Nerazzurri were Winter Champions, but stuttering in recent games with controversial goals for the draw in Genoa and win over Verona. Federico Dimarco returned with Juan Cuadrado injured, while the hosts had Michele Di Gregorio, Gianluca Caprari, Papu Gomez and Jose Machin out of action.
Dimarco’s volley after three minutes flashed just wide of Marcus Thuram and the far post, then another effort was accidentally charged down by teammate Lautaro Martinez.
Roberto Gagliardini was playing as a centre-back against his former club, but his error broke the deadlock when his flailing hand deflected a Lautaro Martinez header off target. VAR showed the handling offence to the referee and Hakan Calhanoglu sent Sorrentino the wrong way from the penalty spot.
Moments later it was 2-0 with a move playing out from the back, concluded when Henrikh Mkhitaryan spread the ball down the left and Lautaro Martinez came sliding on to the Dimarco assist.
Thuram couldn’t steer his finish on target when meeting another Dimarco cross at the far stick.
Monza had the ball in the net on 29 minutes when Andrea Colpani’s free kick was flicked on by Luca Caldirola for Matteo Pessina to nod in at the back post. However, after a long VAR check, it was ruled offside as Pessina’s buttock was beyond Alessandro Bastoni.
Benjamin Pavard and Dany Mota Carvalho had a clash of heads, while Thuram blasted wide on a Mkhitaryan assist, then both those players failed to make the most of a Lautaro Martinez ball across the face of goal.
Monza did better after the restart and began to put together a series of corners, plus penalty appeals rejected as Pavard’s arm was across his body.
However, Inter scored a third on the counter-attack from a Monza corner, Mkhitaryan rolling across from the left and Thuram laying it off for Calhanoglu to drill home. Calhanoglu was booked earlier and will be suspended against Fiorentina, but this was his first ever Serie A brace at the 222nd appearance.
Giorgos Kyriakopoulos hit a fresh-air volley from inside the penalty area and it would’ve been 4-0 if not for a spectacular Sorrentino save that clawed Pavard’s header out of the top corner on Bastoni’s cross.
Monza got a goal eventually, as Matteo Darmian caught Dany Mota Carvalho on the heel for a penalty that Pessina converted.
Yann Sommer had to beat away a ferocious Kyriakopoulos strike, but Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro bumped into the back of Davide Frattesi for a penalty that Lautaro Martinez converted blasting down the middle.
Thuram got in on the act when Mkhitaryan intercepted a wayward Gagliardini pass to spark the counter, the French striker controlled the cross, cut inside to send Caldirola to ground and fire in with the left boot.
Monza 1-5 Inter
Calhanoglu pen 12, 60 (I), Lautaro Martinez 14, pen 84 (I), Pessina pen 69 (M), Thuram 88 (I)
Player statistic
| Andrea Colpani |  |
5' | ||
| 11' |  |
Hakan Calhanoglu | ||
| 14' |  |
Lautaro Martínez (Assist: Federico Dimarco) |
| 59' | |
Hakan Calhanoglu | ||
| 60' | |
Hakan Calhanoglu (Assist: Marcus Thuram) | ||
| Matteo Pessina | |
68' | ||
| Samuele Birindelli | |
70' | ||
| 77' | |
Benjamin Pavard | ||
| 84' | |
Lautaro Martínez | ||
| 88' | |
Marcus Thuram (Assist: Henrikh Mkhitaryan) |
Match statistic
