Inter Milan tops SPAL, 2-0

A first-half penalty by Mauro Icardi followed with a stunning blast from Ivan Perisic in the second half kept Inter Milan atop the Serie A standings with a 2-0 home win over league newcomer SPAL.

The Nerazzurri have notched nine points in their first three games, although this win was not pretty by any stretch of the imagination. The win did come in front of more than 58,000 fans at the San Siro, a club record for a 12:30 p.m. kick-off.

“It is a true spectacle to play in front of all these people,” Roberto Gagliardini told Premium Mediaset following the game. “It gives you a great lift. Our opponents were very organized and it wasn't easy.”

Inter dominated possession in the first half, but it was the video-assisted referee that awarded a penalty in the 23^rd minute after Joao Mario was brought down inside the penalty area. Initially, the referee gave a free kick on the fringes of the box, but the VAR changed his mind and Icardi picked up his fifth goal of the season.

In the 35^th minute, Danilo D’Ambrosio nearly doubled the Inter lead with a header that was poked aside by SPAL goalkeeper Alfred Gomes.

In the second half, SPAL seemed to pick up its offensive pace as Bartosz Salamon was nearly able to head home a set piece delivery from Federico Viviani in the 64^th minute, but the Inter defense cleared away the danger.

In the 73^rd minute, defender Milan Skriniar fired a shot from distance that nicked the top crossbar, inches from sailing into the upper 90 past Gomes.

“I always want to help the squad and this is my aim on a daily basis,” Skriniar told Inter Channel following the game. “As for my shot that hit the crossbar, I had space and thought I'd give it a go. It's a shame that it didn't go in.”

Finally, in the 87^th minute, Perisic celebrated his recent contract extension with a with a blast from just inside the area past Gomes to double the Inter lead and give the Nerazzurri the three points.

The win keeps Internazionale on top of the table along with Juventus. AC Milan and Napoli play later today while Sampdoria-Roma was rescheduled due to strong thunderstorms forecast for Genoa today.

Inter Milan hits the road next week for a matchup with Crotone at 3 p.m. CEST (9 a.m. ET) Saturday.

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Gallery

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Highlights

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Box score

Inter 2, SPAL 0

Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017

SPAL 0 0 — 0

Inter 1 1 — 2

First half: Mauro Icardi (Pen 27’). Second half: Ivan Perisic (88’).

Bookings: Danilo D’Ambrosio (INT), Roberto Gagliardini (INT), Vicari (SPAL), Mora (SPAL).

INTER: Handanovic (GK), Gagliardini, Icardi, Joao Mario (66' Brozovic), Borja Valero (77' Vecino), Miranda, Dalbert, D'Ambrosio, Skriniar, Perisic, Candreva (89' Eder)

Bench: Padelli, Berni, Vecino, Ranocchia, Karamoh, Eder, Nagatomo, Vanheusden, Brozovic, Pinamonti

Coach: Luciano Spalletti

SPAL: Gomis (GK), Vaisanen, Mora (77' Grassi), Salamon, Borriello, Vicari, Schiattarella, Lazzari, Costa, Paloschi (66' Antenucci), Viviani (84' Bonazzoli)

Bench: Poluzzi, Marchegiani, Cremonesi, Antenucci, Bellemo, Bonazzoli, Konate, Mattiello, Schiavon, Vitale, Felipe, Grassi.

Coach: Leonardo Semplici

Referee: Gavillucci

Assistants: Schenone, Mondin

Fourth Official: Ghersini

VAR Operators: Mazzoleni, Giua