Martínez Brace Keeps Inter on Tail of Frontrunners

Inter forward Lautaro Martínez netted a second-half brace to earn his team a 2-0 victory at Pisa, ensuring the away side very much engaged in the Serie A championship battle in spite of a less than convincing performance.

Standings Overview

Under manager Cristian Chivu, Inter now sit third in the table with 27 points total, tied with runner-up Roma and only one point adrift of table-toppers Milan. Meanwhile, Pisa hold the third bottom spot with 10 points.

Game Summary

Inter traveled in Tuscany aiming to get back on track after suffering a derby defeat by Milan recently, which was followed by a Champions League defeat at Atlético Madrid. Nonetheless, they were forced to fight throughout by newly-promoted Pisa. The hosts created numerous chances, but a efficient Inter broke the deadlock in the 69th minute when Argentinian Martínez drilled a first-time shot into the top of the net. The attacker then finished from point-blank seven minutes from time.

The team’s ability to score even with difficult circumstances proved decisive in earning the victory.

Other European Action

In Spain, the Basque side staged a thrilling fightback from 2-0 down to equalize at home against Villarreal, only to succumb to a goal five minutes into stoppage time. The visitors’ scoring came from Ayoze Pérez just after the half-hour mark and Alberto Moleiro in the 57th minute, but Carlos Soler soon pulled one back and Ander Barrenetxea equalised three minutes from time. However, Moleiro had the last word deep into added time.

In the late La Liga match, Real Madrid journey to Girona requiring a victory to go back to the summit above Barcelona, who recorded a 3-1 triumph over Alavés on Saturday.

• Inter remain in tight contention for the Italian crown.
• Martínez proved his worth with a decisive performance.
• The title race continues with multiple clubs in the mix.