(Reuters) -Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez grabbed a double as his second-placed side fought back to earn a 2-1 win at basement club Cremonese in Serie A on Saturday.
David Okereke put the hosts ahead after 11 minutes with a superb shot from the edge of the box that hit the underside of the bar and bounced in.
Inter equalised 10 minutes later when Martinez was in the right place to finish on the rebound after Cremonese goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi had parried Edin Dzeko’s volley.
Inter, who have 40 points, are 10 behind leaders Napoli having played a game more. Cremonese remain on eight points, still without a league win this season after 20 games.
“I’m very happy and I congratulated my team on a great performance,” Inter manager Simone Inzaghi told DAZN.
“They took the best approach and unfortunately then conceded a worldie from their player (Okereke) that could have created problems for us after the (1-0 home) defeat to Empoli (on Monday), but instead we stayed calm and concentrated.”
Inter continued to pile on the pressure after the equaliser, and Martinez was close to getting a second goal but his shot from close range after 27 minutes went just wide.
Carnesecchi kept Inter out when he made a double save in the 45th minute, first stopping a shot from Federico DiMarco before standing in the way of Martinez’s rebound attempt.
Inter started the second half more aggressively and had a good chance after three minutes but Carnesecchi stood in the way again, saving a ball that managed to get through the defence.
Martinez finally put the visitors ahead in the 65th with his 11th league goal this season when Dzeko played him in and his shot took a deflection before looping past Carnesecchi.
Cremonese came close to an equaliser 12 minutes from time when Cyriel Dessers got a cross into the box but fellow substitute Cristian Buonaiuto could not mange a clear shot.
“We realised there would be difficulties here and Cremonese were fired up,” Inzaghi added. “If I had to find a negative, we made a few too many mistakes in our passing that could have allowed us to extend our lead before the end.”
(Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk; Editing by Toby Davis and Ken Ferris)
