Inter Milan 3-1 Empoli: Martinez stars as Nerazzurri deliver stunning second-half performance to defeat visitors

Inter Milan narrowed the gap at the top of Serie A to three points by defeating Empoli 3-1 at the San Siro, thereby extending their unbeaten streak in the Italian top division to 15 matches.

Napoli's 3-2 win over Atalanta on Saturday placed additional pressure on Inter, who could not afford any missteps against mid-table Empoli, a team they had previously defeated in their last four encounters.

Despite dominating possession in the first half, Inter struggled to generate significant scoring opportunities, relying instead on long-range attempts.

Nicolo Barella, eager to increase his tally of three Serie A goals this season, attempted several well-placed volleys, but unfortunately, he was unable to keep them from sailing over the crossbar.

The most promising chances of the first half arguably fell to captain Lautaro Martinez, whose overhead kick was saved by Devis Vasquez, and he later struck the post from close range.

Empoli appeared more focused on stifling Inter's attack rather than creating their own, resulting in Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer having little to do before halftime.

To break the deadlock, Inter required a moment of brilliance, which ultimately came from the influential Lautaro Martinez. Receiving the ball approximately 25 yards from goal, he positioned himself and unleashed a powerful shot into the top corner. Although Vásquez managed to get a hand to it, the strike was too strong and accurate to be denied.

Martinez nearly scored again shortly thereafter, but the Empoli goalkeeper was able to thwart him on that occasion. With a busy schedule ahead, coach Simone Inzaghi opted to rotate his squad, introducing players such as Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

The hosts effectively secured the victory when Denzel Dumfries headed home from a corner taken by Kristjan Asllani. Although Sebastiano Esposito managed to score a well-placed shot against his former team, reducing the deficit, a quick counterattack concluded with a goal from Marcus Thuram, extinguishing any hopes of a comeback for the visitors.

Inter will now turn their attention to the upcoming UEFA Champions League match against Sparta Praha scheduled for midweek.

Meanwhile, Empoli is set to welcome Bologna next week, currently positioned just one point above the relegation zone, following their ninth unsuccessful attempt to secure a victory in the last 11 Serie A matches.