Inter Milan’s Serie A title hopes took a massive blow when the defending champions suffered a 1-0 home loss to AS Roma on Sunday, giving Napoli the chance to open up a three-point gap at the top when they host Torino later on Sunday.
The hosts, who bowed out of the Coppa Italia on Wednesday with a 3-0 semi-final second leg defeat by AC Milan, suffered their third loss in a week as their treble-bid risks coming apart at the seams.
Inter, who need to recover before Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg at Barcelona, are second in the standings, level on 71 points with leaders Napoli while Roma move up to fifth place on 60 points.
Inter began brightly, with Davide Frattesi finding the net but the goal was ruled out for offside and the hosts lost defender Benjamin Pavard early to injury, a worry ahead of the Barcelona game.
Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar was swiftly out of his area to head the ball away with Hakan Calhanoglu chasing down on goal, and following Inter’s early surge the visitors began to take control.
After Kouadio Kone shot wide from just outside the area, Roma took the lead in the 22nd minute.
Lorenzo Pellegrini’s effort from outside the box was blocked down in the area but the ball ended up at the feet of Matias Soule who netted from the edge of the six-yard box.
Minutes later, Roma had a chance to double their lead with Pellegrini crossing into the area but Bryan Cristante put his shot wide from close range.
Roma piled forward and Inter defender Carlos Augusto made a sliding clearance from Angelino’s ball across the goal with Eldor Shomurodov ready to tap-in at the back post, and with Inter rarely threatening the hosts went in behind at the break.
Inter pushed hard in the second half, desperately seeking an equaliser but lacked any real cutting edge close to goal.
Calhanoglu drilled just wide from distance, Denzel Dumfries had a header at the back post saved by Svilar and Nicolo Barella fired wide from the edge of the six-yard box.
Roma, having soaked up the Inter pressure, had chances to double their lead, but Niccolo Pisilli hit his first time shot wide of the post when unmarked in the box and Artem Dovbyk had an effort saved by Yann Sommer.
The visitors held on to extend their unbeaten league run to 18 games and Inter fell to a second successive league loss after their 1-0 defeat by Bologna last Sunday.
REUTERS
