Inter got the job done in the first half with Ivan Perisic’s header and Lautaro Martinez on the rebound from a missed penalty, keeping the gap from leaders Milan at two points.
The Nerazzurri were feeling the pressure after their rescheduled midweek defeat to Bologna gave Milan a two-point lead at the top. Hakan Calhanoglu was suspended, with Alessandro Bastoni injured, but Samir Handanovic returned between the posts after Ionut Radu’s howler. Norberto Beto was out and Jean-Victor Makengo sat out a ban, with the Friulani fresh from a 4-0 win away to Fiorentina.
Inter had taken the lead in Bologna with an Ivan Perisic goal and he did it again here, his header at the near post from a Federico Dimarco corner.
Handanovic had to make the save on a Walace snapshot, with Marco Silvestri doing the same on Dimarco.
Serie A Liveblog: Juventus-Venezia, Milan-Fiorentina, Udinese-Inter, Roma-Bologna
Udinese were already without Beto and lost Isaac Success too with an apparent hamstring strain, but still caused problems with a Gerard Deulofeu roll across for Ignacio Pussetto, blocked off by Dimarco.
Silvestri stuck up a hand for a desperate save on Lautaro Martinez’s chip and Edin Dzeko was tripped on the rebound by Pablo Mari. After a VAR review, the referee awarded the penalty to Inter.
Lautaro Martinez fired his spot-kick onto the upright and nodded in on the rebound to double their lead. There was some confusion, as if Silvestri hadn’t touched it with his arm after the woodwork, then Lautaro could not have scored directly from the rebound.
Both Perisic and Dzeko should’ve made more of counter-attacks after the restart, while Walace blasted wide for Udinese.
Inter increasingly looked as if they just wanted to sit on their lead, but Udinese got one back when Handanovic made a sensational one-handed save on Gerard Deulofeu’s free kick, but Destiny Udogie rolled across the rebound for Pussetto’s tap-in.
Tucu Correa stung Silvestri’s gloves at the near post, while Arturo Vidal had the ball in the net only after wandering several metres offside.
There were concerns in the final minute, as Barella went off with a swollen knee, forcing Simone Inzaghi to change his last substitution.
Udinese 1-2 Inter
Perisic 12 (I), Lautaro Martinez 39 (I), Pussetto 72 (U)
Missed penalty: Lautaro Martinez 39 (I)
Never a penalty
Weak performance. Dzeko has nothing left (the penalty, while it was a penalty, was SOFT, and he did zero else), Vidal is an error machine, and Lautaro’s inability to finish chances, which has already cost us the title, will keep costing us.
Oh, and Dimarco’s defending is a constant liability.
With barella probably out for the rest of the season, inter will surely drop more points. Vidal is completely finished, and gagliardini and vecino are some of the worst players to every wear the inter shirt.
Said it before, Dimarco is a natural winger, he is not a central defender in any system. There’s always vulnerability there.
Dzeko is close to retirement sadly. Been a very good striker but past his best now. Credit to him for his contribution
The exit door has to be open for a fair number in the window
That’s given as a penalty and Inter fans still can’t see how refs have favored them all season? Must be blind as a bat then
As a neutral with no skin in the game if that is a penalty then VAR needs to be looked at come the end of the season and better training given as a priority. Ikone did not even touch the ball, so how did Leao not get a penalty? Do not forget about Torino as well.
Two drastic decisions today. Ikone pure foul on Leao, no ball, and no foul…. udinese player did not even touch Dzeko and he flings his head like a drama queen to buy a foul and it’s given. I’m so sick of the favoritism, it’s holding Serie A back so much… disgusting.
Some people do not realise Inter‘s symbol is a snake, so no surprise that they do these sneaky of things.
Leao gets completely taken out = not even a review or a word in ear of referee.
Dzeko hops over the challenge – no touch. Just falls over. Referee goes over to review and pen given.
Literally one rule for inter and another for everyone else. Jokers.
Guys, sometimes decisions go for or against a team. Just because Inter have the rub of the green all season, with inexplicable decisions always going in their favour at crucial times, it doesn’t mean they don’t deserve their second place finish. And no one can take away the title of Winter Champions. Forza Inter.
Solid performance for Inter. Next week they will play before Milan. The top of the table might change again.
@Rosa, there was no way Marotta and his goons would ever allow their team to leave Fruili without all three points. Imagine if that penalty was not given, then obviously it would have ended in a draw and further behind us. We need to step it up though as Diaz and Messias are not Milan calibre and Pioli still starts them. Atalanta is a big worry despite their form I am sure they will raise their game for us.
Let’s just think of Torino who was robbed of a penalty. I can accept today’s decisions, but it was no doubt a very soft, if a penalty at all for Dzeko. And maybe Leao had a case (he could have been judged to have been taken out before the defender had control of the ball), nevertheless these things happen. Call it a 50/50, but that Torino penalty was a 110% and come season finale let’s hope that Torino penalty, that Udinese handball goal, the Spezia calamity and the Napoli incident will not be decisive in any way. Forza Milan! Sempre!
Inter basically played the whole season with one striker. Even that one striker at times becomes half striker!
They should have given a chance to a young striker
The whiners and moaners of Milan make me laugh. You didn’t complain when Tonali shoved Acerbi before scoring. You didn’t complain when Perisic was fouled before Bologna score against Inter. Losers.
I guess you losers won’t mention the blatant penalty Inter were denied at 0-0 right before Perisic scored right? Was a clear handball
All the moviola in Italian media said it was a pk yet Bbilanisti continue crying. Even after being gifted 3 points against Lazio lol
Quiet @fake Hossam, people know you’re impersonating me thinking I support the dirtbag club of the world. Always have and always will be a JUVENTINO. Now go and suck on that.
Inter have won a match again. I guess you know what that means. Milan will cry about every wrong decision ever made against them and the one that Inter seemed to get. It is as if winning all the match is an impossible task and know the inevitable winner. Unlike Lazio or Fiorentina a time will come when Milan will play a team that will actually attack I just can’t imagine all the crying afterwards of all the wrong decisions that ever happened to them and why Inter didn’t get the same.
@Solointer
They are indeed crybabies. the funny thing is that those moaning Milanisti ignore all the lucky calls Milan benefited from this season. To name a few: Tomroi foul on Osmihen in Napoli v Milan. Tonali foul on Zaniolo in Milan v Roma. Kjaer foul on Pellegrini in Roma v Milan. Giroud foul on Sanchez in Milan v Inter. Florenzi foul on Henry in Venezia v Milan.
…they are too many I even forgot the Tonali robbed goal after pushing Acerbi. More Milan stolen points yet they moan, such hypocrisy is unheard of.