Inter Milan secured a crucial 2-0 away victory against Pisa, fueled by a Lautaro Martinez brace in the second half, to keep pace with Serie A leaders AC Milan after recovering from recent back-to-back losses.
Lautaro Martinez got Inter Milan back on track with a brace and a much-needed 2-0 victory away to Serie A strugglers Pisa, according to a report from Football-Italia.net.
The win was essential for manager Cristian Chivu’s side, who were “shaken by back-to-back defeats” to city rivals AC Milan and Atletico Madrid and “cannot afford to slip up against promoted opponents.”
The victory at Arena Garibaldi on Sunday ensured Inter avoided a third consecutive loss, having previously gone down 1-0 in the season’s first Derby della Madonnina.
The result also ended Pisa SC’s impressive six-match unbeaten run, a defensive record that was built despite the club having “just one win all season.”
The newly-promoted side had also “kept four consecutive home clean sheets” leading into the fixture.
The Nerazzurri found the hosts’ defense stubborn in the first half, but the breakthrough came in the second half with two goals from Inter’s captain and leading marksman, Lautaro Martínez.
The Argentine international’s double proved decisive as Inter moved to 27 points in the Serie A table.In a positive development for the visitors, veteran midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan was available for selection, taking a place on the bench.
He returned to the squad after being sidelined for over a month with a muscular injury sustained during the Napoli match on October 25.
The crucial away victory allowed Inter to close the gap at the top as they look to challenge AC Milan for the title.