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A brace from Roberto Gagliardini separated by goals from Mauro Icardi and Ivan Perisic gave Inter Milan a 4-0 win at Genoa Wednesday at the Stadio Comunale Luigi Farraris.
For Inter, it marked the return of Icardi who had been out of action since being stripped of his captaincy in February.
With Lautaro Martinez out with an injury, there was a concern regarding Inter’s attack, which Gagliardini put to bed in the 15th minute after Kwadwo Asamoah found Gagliardini on a late run with a cross from the right.
Gagliardini blasted the ball past Inter loanee Ionut Radu from about eight yards out.
Genoa 0-1 Inter (Gagliardini) pic.twitter.com/nA3GOSavCl
— InterYaSkrinYa (@InterYaSkrinYa) April 3, 2019
Icardi nearly doubled the lead in the 20th minute but his shot bounced off the left post after he drove down the center of the pitch following receiving the ball from Radja Nainggolan.
Icardi hits the post pic.twitter.com/Xdx09XY9Zt
— InterYaSkrinYa (@InterYaSkrinYa) April 3, 2019
The Argentinian finally got on the scoresheet after winning a penalty in the 40th minute. Danilo D’Ambrosio found Icardi with a long ball, but once he got the first touch, Icardi was pulled down by Cristian Romero in the area.
After Romero was shown a straight red card, Icardi stepped up and converted the penalty – notching his first goal since the middle of December.
MI9 pic.twitter.com/bGKOGPcimJ
— InterYaSkrinYa (@InterYaSkrinYa) April 3, 2019
Perisic was next to find the back of the net.
In the 54th minute, it was Icardi who slotted a ball from the middle to Perisic who took four steps and blasted the ball past Radu, giving Inter a 3-0 lead. It was Nainggolan again who won the ball in the midfield and fed Icardi to start the play.
Genoa 0-3 Inter (Icardi to Perisic) pic.twitter.com/Iy5HVPuMxN
— InterYaSkrinYa (@InterYaSkrinYa) April 3, 2019
Finally, Gagliardini got his brace in the 81st minute when he connected with a ball that went through the arms of Radu. After a video-assisted referee review, it was ruled while the ball was saved, it did completely cross the goal line.
Genoa 0-4 Inter (Gagliardini) Goal line technology to the rescue pic.twitter.com/f87YH38Knp
— InterYaSkrinYa (@InterYaSkrinYa) April 3, 2019
It was the second time Gagliardini recorded a brace against Genoa, as he did earlier this season when Inter won 5-0 at the Giuseppe Meazza.
The win put Inter four points clear of AC Milan to remain in third. Torino, AS Roma, Atalanta and Lazio are all tied on 48 points – four back of AC Milan. However, Atlanta and Lazio each have a match in hand.
Inter will take on the aforementioned Atalanta on Sunday, April 7 at the Giuseppe Meazza. Following that match, the Nerazzurri will travel to Frosinone, then host Roma.
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