Inter-Lecce 2-0: goals from Mkhitaryan and Lautaro boost Inzaghi | A league

Inter restarted and put the defeat on Sunday at the Dall’Ara behind them by beating Lecce at home. The syndrome of medium-small companies has been banished (at least for the moment…) and second place in the standings has been reconquered thanks to Milan’s slip in Florence. Napoli remain very far away, at +15, but for Simone Inzaghi, back from a week of fierce criticism, it is still a good response from his formation who wins with merit and risks the minimum wage against an opponent capable of conquering, first today, 12 points in the 9 matches with the big names. The tests of Mkhitaryan and Gosens are comforting, decisive with their initiatives. In addition to Lautaro, in the new year he has become a goal machine. In the Nerazzurri San Siro, however, Lecce continues its negative streak (there are 9 knockouts in a row ahead of Inter), but the advantage over third-last Hellas remains discreet (+9) provided they start scoring points again on Sunday at home with Turin.

Super Mick!

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Still without the injured Skriniar and Dimarco, compared to the knockout in Bologna Inzaghi changes three men in the starting lineup and two exclusions, those of Brozovic and Lukaku, make noise. Dzeko is in attack together with Lautaro, while in the middle we see Barella who had caught his breath at Dall’Ara. For Baroni there are four changes with respect to the home defeat against Sassuolo: not only the suspended Baschirotto, but also Gallo, Blin and Banda are out to make room for Pezzella, Gonzalez and Di Francesco. The first ring is from Calhanoglu who warms up Falcone’s gloves, but Lecce with their 4-3-3 is not a spectator: Hjulmand calls for pressing, gets up to annoy Calhanoglu’s approach and the Salento people worry Onana with a blow from outside Ceesay. A header by Dzeko from a corner by Calhanoglu “sounds” like a warning for Baroni who sees Inter control the pace (82% possession after a third of the match) and break through a minute before the half hour. The action of the 1-0 was beautiful, with Lautaro’s side for the excellent Gosens who crossed from the left for Barella, altruistic in supporting for Mkhitaryan’s winning right foot, in the third center in Serie A. The bosses right on the wings at home they create the biggest problems, but Dumfries misses the choice at least on two occasions and the last pass that would have sent a teammate into the net. The advantage pushes back the pressure for the reconquest of the ball of Lautaro and his companions by a few meters without Lecce taking advantage of it. Thus Ceesay’s attempt in the 17th minute remained the Giallorossi’s only shot on target. In the shadows Strefezza and Di Francesco.

Here comes the Bull

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The second half begins with the same formations and the same tactical score. However, Inter immediately found the 2-0 blow with an action similar to that of the lead: Barella triggered Dumfries on the right who this time did not miss the cross for Lautaro, ruthless in executing Falcone. For the Bull he is the fourteenth center in the league, the ninth in 2023. Baroni decides to change and gives more substance to the midfielder with Blin for Maleh, but also removes the dull Strefezza for Oudin. Lecce raises the pace and the new entry from the former Bordeaux ends just wide. Dzeko has the chance to close the match, but his diagonal, the result of a lateral foul quickly beaten by Lautaro, is blocked by Falcone. Inzaghi thinks about Friday’s trip to La Spezia and administers the forces of his: inside the greats excluding Lukaku and Brozovic, outside Lautaro and Mkhitaryan. Then space also for D’Ambrosio and Gagliardini in place of Dumfries and Calhanoglu, but the credits have already been rolling for a while.