Internazionale 2-0 Empoli: Federico Dimarco, Alexis Sanchez edge Nerazzurri closer to clinching Serie A title

Inter continued their march towards the Serie A title with a routine 2-0 home win over struggling Empoli.

Having seen a 10-match winning streak in the league snapped by a draw with Napoli before the international break, Simone Inzaghi’s side returned to winning ways in comfortable fashion at San Siro on Monday.

Substitute Alexis Sanchez sealed the victory in the 81st minute, doubling up on Federico Dimarco’s early strike.

Empoli had offered little of note in response, albeit Francesco Acerbi was perhaps fortunate not to concede a penalty just before half-time.

Nicolo Barella and Benjamin Pavard saw big opportunities to double Inter’s lead pass them by, but Sanchez made no mistake as the Nerazzurri restored their 14-point lead over city rivals Milan, and with eight games left, the title is surely going to be Inter’s for the second time in the last four years.

Lautaro Martinez went close to marking his 200th Serie A appearance with a goal when he almost connected with a near-post header, but Inter did not have to wait long to go ahead.

After drifting over to the right side of the area, Dimarco – who was picked out by Alessandro Bastoni – reacted sharply to drill a first-time finish into the bottom-left corner.

Razvan Marin had Empoli’s first attempt in anger just before the half-hour, with Inter’s stand-in goalkeeper Emil Audero tipping the Romanian’s long-range effort over the bar.

Empoli may have had a clearer opportunity had VAR intervened for what seemed like a shove on Sebastiano Luperto from Inter veteran Acerbi, but there was nothing doing for the officials.

Barella dragged wide early in the second half and Pavard saw shots blocked by first team-mate Marcus Thuram and then Empoli defender Bartosz Bereszynski, yet Inter had to wait until the introduction of Sanchez to wrap up the points.

Just four minutes after coming on, Sanchez was on hand to tuck home from Denzel Dumfries’ centre at the culmination of a slick passing move, ensuring there would be no late drama.

Acerbi made headlines for the wrong reasons last month, when the defender was accused of racially abusing Napoli’s Juan Jesus. While there ultimately was not enough evidence to find the 36-year-old guilty, he did withdraw from the Italy squad during the process.

Simone Inzaghi had Acerbi in the line-up, though that decision may have backfired had the officials deemed his challenge on Luperto as worthy of a penalty. That being said, the veteran centre-back was otherwise composed.

Dimarco is one of the best in-form full-backs/wing-backs in Europe, and he proved why on Monday. His rampant runs forward were a constant menace to Empoli’s defence, and his finish was unerring.

Inter: Audero 7, Pavard 7, Acerbi 7, A.Bastoni 8, Darmian 7, Barella 7, Calhanoglu 7, Mkhitaryan 7, Dimarco 9*, Thuram 6, Martinez 6. Subs: Asllani 6, Dumfries 7, Frattesi N/A, Sanchez 8, Augusto 6.

Empoli: Caprile 6, Bereszynski 7, Walukiewicz 6, Luperto 6, Gyasi 6, Marin 6, S.Bastoni 6, Pezzella 6, Zurkowski 5, Niang 5, Cambiaghi 6. Subs: Cacace 5, Cancellieri N/A, Destro N/A, Fazzini 6.

4’ – CHANCE! Inter 0-0 Empoli (Martinez): Almost! On his landmark Serie A appearance, Martinez very nearly heads home the opener from point-blank range, but Empoli goalkeeper Caprile just manages to claw it away.

5’ – GOAL! Inter 1-0 Empoli (Dimarco): That didn’t take long! What a stunner from Dimarco! Just a couple of minutes after Martinez’s chance, Inter have their lead. Thuram got on the end of a long ball to get the hosts up the pitch. It was worked out to the left and drilled back over to Dimarco, who had popped up just inside the area, and the wing-back drills an excellent first-time finish beyond Caprile and into the bottom-left corner. What a start for Inter!

27’ – SAVE! Inter 1-0 Empoli (Audero): Great work from Inter’s stand-in goalkeeper Audero, who has to react sharply to a dipping, powerful, long-range strike from Empoli midfielder Marin, who tried his luck from distance. Audero, though, tipped it over.

42’ – PENALTY APPEAL! Inter 1-0 Empoli: Luperto went down after what seemed to be a clumsy challenge from Acerbi as the pair tussled from a corner. The referee dismissed the appeals, and VAR has not intervened, but it was certainly reckless from the Inter centre-back.

52’ – CHANCE! Inter 1-0 Empoli (Barella): A sweeping counter-attack from Inter results in Martinez threading in Dimarco down the left. He gets his head up and plants a low cross back to Barella, but from on the cusp of Empoli’s box, the midfielder drags his effort wide of goal.

GOAL!!! Inter 2-0 Empoli (Sanchez): No, that will be that as Sanchez tucks home a second for Inter! It’s the two substitutes who have combined, with Sanchez on hand to meet Dumfries’ low cross from the right-hand side of the area – that’s 2-0 to Inter, and surely it’s game over.