Serie A | Inter 1-0 Juventus: Own goal decides Scudetto clash

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·4 February 2024

Serie A | Inter 1-0 Juventus: Own goal decides Scudetto clash

An unlucky Federico Gatti own goal proved the difference in this Scudetto showdown, as Inter go four points clear of Juventus with a game in hand.

This was a head-to-head for the top of the table, though the Nerazzurri still have a game in hand against Atalanta on February 28. Hakan Calhanoglu and Nicoló Barella returned from bans, with only Juan Cuadrado injured, while Arkadiusz Milik was suspended, Moise Kean on the treatment table and Kenan Yildiz preferred to Federico Chiesa.

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In the opening minute, Marcus Thuram crossed low from the right and Federico Gatti crucially prevented a Henrikh Mkhitaryan tap-in.

Federico Dimarco volleyed onto the side-netting from a Benjamin Pavard cross, while Andrea Cambiaso made an important block on the Lautaro Martinez effort.

Dimarco controlled a Hakan Calhanoglu cross-field pass and laid it on a plate for Thuram, who was preparing to sweep home from 10 yards until the astonishing Gleison Bremer tackle.

At the other end, Weston McKennie went on a huge run from midfield and set it up for Vlahovic, whose first touch let him down, allowing Pavard to make the block.

Danilo was furious when booked for stopping a Thuram counter, as he seemed to get the ball first. The Brazilian made another great tackle on Thuram inside the penalty area.

The deadlock was broken in slightly chaotic fashion, as Pavard attempted an acrobatic volley on the Barella cross and missed, so did Thuram’s diving header, eventually bouncing into the net from point-blank range off Gatti’s stomach.

Listen to the roar of San Siro as Inter take the lead in the Derby d'Italia! 🔊 — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 4, 2024

Hakan Calhanoglu came close after the restart with a ferocious strike off the outside of the boot that Wojciech Szczesny could only watch as it thumped the outside of the upright.

Gatti then made a decisive block to prevent Lautaro Martinez turning on the Pavard assist from six yards, while at the other end Mkhitaryan was decisive to clear as a deflected Filip Kostic effort threatened to bobble into the path of strikers from six yards.

Vlahovic’s chest and overhead kick was not too far off target, while Gatti blasted just wide from the edge of the area.

Szczesny came flying off his line to use his body as a shield on the Barella volley from a Dimarco cross to the back post.

The goalkeeper did even better when denying Marko Arnautovic from point-blank range on the Denzel Dumfries roll across.