Inter defeated Atalanta 2-0 at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on Wednesday night in Serie A.
An acrobatic effort from Pablo Osvaldo and a powerful free-kick from Hernanes sealed the win for Inter who also missed a penalty through Rodrigo Palacio.
La Dea started off the brightest and had the first effort of the match as Luca Cigarini reacted to a rebound and volleyed high over the bar from outside the box.
Nemanja Vidic had a great effort to put Inter in front denied by the woodwork as the Serb leaped highest from a corner and then Palacio’s strike was saved by Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Sportiello minutes later.
Inter suffered a huge blow half-way through the first-half when Mauro Icardi was forced off after he suffered a knock from a Yohan Benalouane challenge.
As the match went on the home side grew in control and were awarded a penalty on the half-hour mark as Andrea Ranocchia was brought down by Benalouane.
Palacio stepped up and tried to guide his effort to the left of Sportiello, but the young goalkeeper was equal to it, palming it away and keeping the scores level.
Substitute Osvaldo then got on the end of a free-kick and acrobatically volleyed into the bottom corner from just beyond the penalty spot to give the home side the lead going into half-time.
Minutes into the second half Mateo Kovacic got on the end of a loose ball and fired towards goal but the ball flashed past the post.
Palacio then played a neat exchange with Osvaldo and the former smashed the ball off the foot of the post in what was the second time Inter hit the woodwork in the game.
Then for the away side, Alejandro Gomez went on a strong run and tried his luck from 25 yards which was punched away by Samir Handanovic.
Atalanta were agonisingly close to equalising 20 minutes from time when Gomez whipped in a cross and Marcelo Estigaribbia headed just wide of the post.
Five minutes from time Inter doubled their lead through an absolutely stunning free-kick from Hernanes who hadn’t had the best of games when he replaced Fredy Guarin.
The Brazilian fired his effort from the edge of the box high into the top corner to seal the win for the Beneamata.
The home side held on for a deserved 2-0 win and could have easily had a few more goals.
