Inter emerged with a hard-fought 2-1 win against Cagliari at Stadio Sant’Elia in Serie A on Monday night.
Mateo Kovacic’s fifth goal of the season and Mauro Icardi’s wonderful strike ensured that the Nerazzurri won three league games in a row for the first time since November 2012. Juan Pablo Carrizo’s own goal brought the game back in life but ultimately the Nerazzuri held on to secure the points.
The game began at a leisurely pace with neither side posed any threat until the twentieth minute, when Lukas Podolski was unable to dribble around Zeljko Brkic in the Cagliari goal after being played in perfectly.
The Germany international then contrived to miss an even better chance just moments later as he headed wide Davide Santon’s cross from less than six yards out.
Inter now had Cagliari on the back foot and Brkic produced a fine double save, first denying Marcelo Brozovic’s effort before blocking Mauro Icardi on the rebound.
A rare foray into the Inter penalty area nearly brought the hosts a surprise lead, however Carrizo did well to block Duje Cop’s point blank effort from Paul-Jose M’Poku’s low cross.
The Nerazzurri’s fluid playing style continued and they tested Brkic from distance through efforts from Fredy Guarin, Gary Medel and Santon.
Podolski, once again, was wayward with a header from a highly promising position and Icardi had another headed effort saved comfortably by Brkic as the sides went in level at the interval.
Inter finally took a deserved lead with their first real attack of the second half as Icardi slightly miss-controlled a high cross and Kovacic was on hand to guide the ball home from around the penalty spot.
The hosts looked revived after going behind with Inter’s defence suddenly looking suspect and Andrea Cossu was guilty of wasting a glorious opportunity to score, blasting his shot high and wide after capitalising on a defensive mix-up.
Carrizo was on hand to spare Inter’s Juan Jesus’ blushes as the defender gifted possession to M’Poku but the Belgian was unable to beat the Argentine keeper
Just as the hosts had Inter rattled, the Nerazzurri went up the other end of the pitch and doubled their lead as Medel’s through ball found Icardi in the Cagliari box who, after cutting back past Marco Capuano, produced a wonderful finish to take notch his fourteenth Serie A goal this season.
Cagliari’s response was instant as Samuele Longo got the better of Juan Jesus before his rasping shot stuck the post and rebounded in off the unfortunate Carrizo to bring the game back to life.
M’Poku went close once more but his low effort was, agonisingly for the locals, just inches wide of Carrizo’s near post as the game drew to its final conclusion.
With the last kick of the game, Hernanes smashed the underside of the Cagliari crossbar with a long range drive and it bounced down into the grateful arms of Brkic.
