Internazionale 1-0 Juventus – Hosts edge out Juve thanks to own goal to extend lead at top of Serie A table

Inter continued their perfect start to 2024 with a 1-0 win over Juventus at San Siro to move four points clear at the top of Serie A.

The hosts dominated the game’s early goings but Simone Inzaghi’s side struggled to create any chances of note against a stern Juve defence.

Dusan Vlahovic’s poor touch squandered the visitors’ best chance of the first half and they were made to pay just minutes later when Federico Gatti bundled Nicolo Barella’s cross into his own net to give the Nerazzurri a deserved lead at the break.

As the game opened up after half-time, both sides had good opportunities to score, with Hakan Calhanoglu striking the post and Gatti firing wide with a fierce strike from the edge of the box.

Inter should have put the game out of sight late on but a superb pair of saves from Wojciech Szczesny – first to deny Barella’s volley, then to stop Marko Arnautovic’s effort from point-blank range – kept faint Juve hopes alive.

But Massimiliano Allegri’s side were unable to find a late equaliser, losing for the first time this year and dropping vital points in the race for the Scudetto.

It is perhaps still too early in the season to label tonight’s Derby d’Italia as a title decider but having moved four points clear at the top of the table with tonight’s deserved win at San Siro, Inter and their fans will surely be dreaming of a 20th Scudetto.

It was a performance befitting of a team that have yet to drop a point since the turn of year, dominating possession in the first half and unlucky not to double, if not treble, their lead late in the second half. Ending Juventus’ 19-game unbeaten run was never going to be easy, but the manner in which Simone Inzaghi’s side dealt with their main title rivals must surely send a loud message to the chasing pack.

With both teams employing the same 3-5-2 formation, it was going to be the midfield battle that went a long way to deciding this contest. To that end, Calhanoglu was superb, covering every blade of grass, making over 100 passes and winning all of his duels. It was an all-action display from the Turkish international who has become the heartbeat of this Inter engine room and was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet when he hit the post midway through the second half.

Inter: Sommer 6, Bastoni 7, Acerbi 7, Pavard 8, Dimarco 7, Mkhitaryan 7, Calhanoglu 8, Barella 6, Darmian 6, Martinez 6, Thuram 7. Subs: Augusto 6, Dumfries 6, Arnautovic 6, De Vrij n/a, Klaasen n/a.

Juventus: Szczesny 7, Danilo 7, Bremer 6, Gatti 6, Kostic 5, Rabiot 6, Locatelli 6, McKennie 7, Cambiaso 5, Vlahovic 6, Yildiz 6. Subs: Weah 6, Chiesa 6, Sandro n/a, Miretti n/a, Alcaraz n/a.

32′ HUGE WASTE! A superb, mazy dribble from McKennie brings Juve to the edge of the box before the American slides Vlahovic through on the left side. It’s a great chance for the striker but it goes to waste after a terrible first touch allows the Inter defence to recover.

37′ OWN GOAL! Inter 1-0 Juventus (Gatti): They’ve probed and waited for that opportunity but now Inter have a deserved opener. The ball is floated into the box from Barella, missing Martinez and Thuram but deflecting into the net off Gatti. There’s a quick VAR check but the goal stands and the hosts lead.

57′ OFF THE POST! A beautiful strike from Mkhitaryan on the edge of the box has Szczesny rooted to the spot but the effort deflects just wide off the outside of the right post.

67′ JUST WIDE: Gatti’s own goal may have put Juve behind but the centre-back is so close to making amends as his fierce right-footed strike goes just wide with Sommer well-beaten to his right.

69′ BIG SAVE! So close to a second after a great counter from Inter. Dimarco’s floated cross finds Barella at the back post but it’s a superb reflex save from Szczesny to deny the Italian’s well-struck volley.

87′ SZCZESNY KEEPS JUVE IN IT! A remarkable save from the Juve keeper to keep their faint hopes alive. Dumfries low cross finds Arnautovic unmarked in the middle but the Austrian’s strike is somehow kept out by Szczesny with a remarkable save.

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