Mauro Icardi was on hand again to help Inter see off a stubborn SPAL side 2-1 at the Stadio Paolo Mazza on Sunday evening.
Scoring either side of an Alberto Paloschi strike for the hosts, the Argentine once more proved his importance to his side.
With just a quarter of an hour on the clock, Inter went ahead. Another cross found Icardi at the near post and his downward header ended up making its way into the hosts’ goal.
Before long had passed though, SPAL had a penalty. Felipe pounced on a loose ball and clumsy defending from Miranda brought him down. Mirko Antenucci stepped up and, surprisingly, dragged his kick wide of goal.
Alberto Paloschi finally drew the hosts on terms with just over ten minutes to play, making it two goals in as many games for him. Mohamed Fares fizzed a low deflected cross into the box that Paloschi sniffed out in the six-yard box to tap home.
Inter and Icardi responded instantly. Ivan Perisic picked out his No.9 and as he was in on goal there was no doubting that he would finish, which he emphatically did.
Handanovic still serves a purpose
He has been poor so far this term but Samir Handanovic still has plenty to offer at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.
The Inter stopper pulled off a number of first-half saves to keep SPAL at bay and was it not for him, Inter may not have come out on top in Ferrara.
Luciano Spalletti will now be hoping he can put his poor start to the season behind him and get back to his brilliant best.
Paloschi’s return?
At Chievo, Alberto Paloschi was an excellent goalscorer. A move to Swansea City and subsequent return to his native Bergamo to play for Atalanta didn’t bring the success he wanted, and he now finds himself at SPAL looking to get back to his best.
He has now scored in back-to-back Serie A games for the first time since December 2015, while he also made it two in his last two against Inter.
If SPAL can keep Paloschi firing, then they will have outside hopes of sneaking into the top half of the table come the season’s end.
