Serie A leader Inter Milan comes from behind to beat Udinese
Udinese's Oier Zarraga in action during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Udinese and Inter at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine, Italy, Monday, April 8, 2024. Credit: AP/Andrea Bressanutti
ROME — Davide Frattesi scored a dramatic stoppage time winner for Inter Milan to edge Udinese 2-1 and extend its lead in Serie A to 14 points on Monday.
The victory was Inter’s 25th consecutive match without defeat in its seemingly inexorable march toward a 20th Serie A title. It has seven games left.
The champion-elect dominated with 78% possession and 23 shots at goal compared to Udinese’s three, but it had to come from behind after a calamitous bit of defending after 40 minutes.
Lazar Samardžić’s shot from the corner of the penalty box was not powerful but it took a slight deflection off Carlos Augusto. Even though the ball appeared to pose little danger, goalkeeper Yann Sommer and defender Denzel Dumfries left it to each other and it rolled in at the far post.
Inter got back on track with a 55th-minute penalty from Hakan Çalhanoğlu. He sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to score his 10th goal.
The winner didn't come until the fifth minute of stoppage time when Frattesi pounced to tap home a rebound after Lautaro Martinez’s low shot came off the post.
Udinese remained 15th and only two points above the relegation zone.
Inter Milan's Hakan Calhanoglu, right, celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Udinese and Inter at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine, Italy, Monday, April 8, 2024. Credit: AP/Andrea Bressanutti
With bottom club Salernitana almost definitely doomed, another seven clubs are fighting not to be the other two relegated.
Only five points separated Sassuolo at second to last from Cagliari in 13th.
