Milan edge Bologna to stay top, second-place Inter crush Benevento
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Reuters/Goal.com – Serie A leaders AC Milan won 2-1 at Bologna on Saturday with second-placed Inter Milan remaining two points adrift by hammering Benevento 4-0. Juventus stayed in the league zone after beating Sampdoria 2-0
Inter Milan forward Romelu Lukaku scored twice as his side thrashed Benevento 4-0 at the San Siro in Serie A on Saturday to remain two points behind leaders AC Milan in the standings.
Making just his fifth league start of the season, Christian Eriksen’s seventh-minute free kick caused all kinds of problems, with Benevento defender Riccardo Improta getting the last touch as the ball found the net to break the deadlock.
Romelu Lukaku (L) celebrates with his teammates after scoring the 3-0 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between FC Inter and Benevento Calcio at Giuseppe Meazza stadium in Milan, Italy, 30 January 2021. EPA-EFE/MATTEO BAZZI
Inter had a host of chances to make it 2-0 in the first half, but had to wait until the 57th minute for their second goal with Lautaro Martinez scoring for the first time in his last seven appearances in all competitions.
Martinez then turned provider for Lukaku, who fired home 10 minutes later to make sure of the win for Antonio Conte’s side, before the Belgian took his Serie A tally to 14 for the season with another goal in the 78th minute.
The win took second-placed Inter onto 44 points and ensured they did not fall further behind leaders Milan, who beat Bologna earlier on Saturday, while maintaining a five-point gap to Juventus in third.
AC Milan have broken their all-time record for scoring in consecutive Serie A away games after Ante Rebic found the net in the first half of the 2-1 victory at Bologna, Goal.com reports.
Milan’s Franck Kessie’ jubilates after scoring the 0-2 during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Bologna FC and AC Milan at Renato Dall’Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, 30 January 2021. EPA-EFE/GIORGIO BENVENUTI
The previous record had sat at 19 games on the bounce, set back in the 1992-93 season, with Rebic’s strike taking the Rossoneri past that tally to 20.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic may well end up kicking himself if he learns of the broken record, with the Swede’s tame penalty effort having been parried by Lukasz Skorupski into the path of Rebic for the history-making strike.
Federico Chiesa’s first-half goal and a stoppage-time Aaron Ramsey finish earned Juventus a 2-0 victory at Sampdoria in Serie A on Saturday, with the win sending Andrea Pirlo’s side third in the standings.
Juventus’ players (L-R) Adrien Rabiot, Juan Cuadrado, Giorgio Chiellini and Aaron Ramsey celebrate at the end of the Italian Serie A soccer match between UC Sampdoria and Juventus Fc at the Luigi Ferraris stadium in Genoa, Italy, 30 January 2021. EPA-EFE/LUCA ZENNARO
In pouring rain in Genoa, Chiesa got on the end of a fine move to put Juventus in front after 20 minutes.
Without a goal in his previous two league games, Cristiano Ronaldo endured a frustrating first half, missing several chances while also being denied by some last-ditch Sampdoria defending.
After the break, Sampdoria pressed for an equaliser, but Juve stood firm, and added a late second through Welshman Ramsey as the hosts were caught on the counter in the 91st minute.
The win moves Juve onto 39 points, seven behind leaders AC Milan, as they leapfrogged AS Roma, who are two points adrift in fourth ahead of their match with Hellas Verona on Sunday.
Sampdoria stay 10th on 26 points after a first defeat in three.
