Inter, AC Milan keep pace in Serie A title race

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  • 2021-03-01 HKT 09:33″ title=”Rom Lukaku (R) and Matteo Darmian were both on the scoresheet for Inter. Photo: Reuters”>


    Rom Lukaku (R) and Matteo Darmian were both on the scoresheet for Inter. Photo: Reuters
    Rom Lukaku (R) and Matteo Darmian were both on the scoresheet for Inter. Photo: Reuters

Romelu Lukaku scored after 33 seconds and set up another in Inter Milan’s 3-0 win over Genoa to keep their title push on track ahead of city rivals AC Milan, who beat Roma 2-1.

Inter remain four points ahead of second-placed Milan, who got back to winning ways in Rome after consecutive league losses including last weekend’s derby defeat.

Champions Juventus are a further six points adrift after being held 1-1 at Hellas Verona on Saturday, but have played a game fewer.

Lukaku scored with the first chance at the San Siro, then laid on Matteo Darmian for Inter’s second in the 69th minute. Alexis Sanchez came off the bench to add a third with 13 minutes to go.

“We’re first in the standings and it’s a good feeling,” said Lukaku as Inter try to deny Juventus a 10th consecutive league title after finishing runners-up last season.

Antonio Conte’s side followed on from last weekend’s 3-0 derby win over Milan, notching up a fifth win in a row as they push for a first league title since 2010.

“We’re happy because our hard work is paying off,” said Conte.

“We know that there are 14 games left. Let’s keep our antennas up until the end if we want to do something good.”

In Spain, Atletico Madrid bounced back from recent poor form with a hard-fought 2-0 win at Villarreal that allowed the La Liga pace-setters to extend their lead to five points.

An own goal from Alfonso Pedraza and Joao Felix’s powerful strike gave Atletico a precious win after a wobble which had allowed Barcelona and Real Madrid to gain ground in the title race.

Diego Simeone’s side had come into the match off the back of a Champions League last 16 defeat to Chelsea and a league run in which they picked up just five points from their previous four matches.

However despite Villarreal coming close on a number of occasions Atletico held on for a win that ensures they keep second-placed Barcelona at bay and crucially increase the gap between them and rivals Real Madrid to six points ahead of next weekend’s local derby.

Madrid can go back to within three points of Atletico when they host Europe-chasing Real Sociedad on Monday night. (AFP)