Lautaro Martinez passes 20-goal mark as Inter Milan beat Cagliari to keep Serie A title race alive

Inter made sure the race for the Serie A title would go down to the final day of the season with a 3-1 victory over Cagliari.

It was a must-win game for Inter or they would have handed AC Milan the Scudetto, and Matteo Darmian put them in front – heading home a wonderful Ivan Perisic cross.

Inter went two up when Lautaro Martinez broke away and finished clinically, but Charalampos Lykogiannis’s stinging shot gave Cagliari hope of finding a way back into the game.

However, Lautaro sealed a big three points with a well-taken finish, his second of the game as he moved on to 21 Serie A goals for the season.

While Inter take the Serie A title race to the final weekend, Cagliari remain in trouble and go into the final round of games in the relegation zone.

Simone Inzaghi’s side are two points behind their city rivals meanwhile Cagliari are two points away from safety.

TALKING POINT – THE SERIE A TITLE RACE GOES DOWN TO FINAL DAY

The league trophy will be heading to Milan but for which club?

Pressure was on Inter after AC MIlan beat Atalanta earlier in the day. They had to win or hand their city rivals the title and they played as if they were unfazed. There was a small period of nerves but Inter weathered the storm and the quality of the likes of Ivan Perisic and Lautaro shone through.
The Rossoneri are two points clear at the top and face a tough trip to Sassuolo to seal the title. Inter will need Stefano Pioli’s men to lose and they have to beat Sampdoria next Sunday.

MAN OF THE MATCH – LAUTARO MARTINEZ – INTER MILAN

There is a reason why so many of the top European clubs want him as part of their team for next season. Lautaro showed speed and strength as well as his clinical side when he put Inter 2-0 up. He then prevented a nervous ending when he chipped over Alessio Cragno in the Cagliari goal with a first-time strike. The Argentine was clinical and in the end his goals were the difference. It will be interesting to see if he remains in Milan or whether he is sold over the summer.

PLAYER RATINGS

Cagliari: Cragno 6, Ceppitelli 5, Altare 5, Lykogiannis 8, Bellanova 5, Marin 6, Grassi 6, Rog 6, Dalbert 6, Pedro 6, Pavoletti 5. Subs: Nandez 6, Balde 6, Carboni 6, Baselli 6, Pereiro 6.

Inter Milan: Handanovic 6, Bastoni 6, De Vrij 7, Skriniar 6, Perisic 8, Calhanoglu 7, Brozovic 7, Barella 6, Darmian 7, Dzeko 5, Martinez 9*. Subs: Gagliardini 7, Dumfries 7, D’Ambrosio 6, Correa 7, Sanchez 6.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

25’ – GOAL (DARMIAN) – It’s wing-back to wing-back. Simply brilliant! Inter play good football again and Perisic stands up a cross to the back post from the left and it’s the other wing-back Darmian who climbs so high, hangs in the air and heads it into the back of net – aiming the ball back where it’s come from.

51’ – GOAL (LAUTARO) – At his clinical best. It’s a long ball over the top and in behind from Barella. Martinez is too quick and too strong for Altare chasing him and the Argentine fires his shot into the back of the net.

54’ – GOAL (LYKOGIANNIS) – He had a strike in the early stages of the game from range and Lykogiannis goes for it again. It takes a small deflection off Skriniar and flies into the top corner. Cagliari are back in it – what a strike, so powerful

84’ – GOAL (LAUTARO) – Game, set and match. Lautaro chips it over the goalkeeper after he is found well by Gagliardini – a calm and composed finish.