Inter Milan 2-0 Como: Nerazzurri ease past visitors to keep pace with league leaders

Inter Milan maintained their position in the Serie A title race with a convincing 2-0 victory over Como at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.

Although not performing at their peak, Simone Inzaghi’s squad secured their 14th win in the last 16 matches across all competitions, narrowing the gap to league leaders Atalanta to three points, with the Nerazzurri having played one match less.

Como, recently associated with Hollywood's elite, presented a match that resembled gritty social realism rather than a cinematic spectacle, as Inter struggled to assert their dominance as anticipated.

The reigning Serie A champions appeared more threatening in possession, yet their Lombard rivals effectively matched them in midfield, restricting the Nerazzurri to just two clear-cut chances during a tightly contested first half.

The first opportunity arose shortly after the half-hour mark when Henrikh Mkhitaryan set up an unmarked Denzel Dumfries, but the Dutch defender misfired, sending his shot over the bar from 12 yards.

As the first half drew to a close, Inter's other wing-back, Federico Dimarco, came close to scoring, but his shot on the turn was easily gathered by Como goalkeeper Pepe Reina.

Just three minutes into the second half, Como's resistance was broken when Hakan Çalhanoğlu's corner was met by Carlos Augusto, who managed to evade two defenders and direct his header past Reina.

Falling behind compelled the Lariani to advance, and their best opportunity came when midfielder Nico Paz found himself unmarked from a corner, forcing Yann Sommer to make an impressive low save to preserve Inter's lead.

Although this match featured the two teams that have allowed the highest number of goals in the final ten minutes of games this season, it appeared that late excitement was improbable, as the visiting team found it difficult to generate opportunities, while the home side failed to convert their promising situations into definitive chances.

Ultimately, Marcus Thuram secured the victory in stoppage time by advancing towards the Como defense and unleashing a powerful shot into the top corner, thereby clinching an essential three points for his team.

SportsLigue