Italy: Inter, on a champion's pace, dominate Atalanta (1-0) - France 24

Rome (AFP)

Inter Milan continued at their champion pace, leading Serie A, dominating Atalanta Bergamo (1-0) after an intense duel on Monday night in San Siro at the end of the 26th day.

Between the two best attacks of the Italian Championship, it was the defenders who took precedence over the attackers.

And it is ultimately quite logically a central defender, Milan Skriniar, who scored the only goal of the game at the start of the second half, on an assist from another defender, Alessandro Bastoni (54th).

With this seventh consecutive victory in the league, the Nerazzurri preserve their mattress of six points on their runner-up AC Milan, victorious Sunday in Verona (2-0), and ten over Juventus (3rd), who dominated Lazio on Saturday ( 3-1).

The fiery attack of Inter Milan (63 goals) and its duo Romelu Lukaku-Lautaro Martinez against the offensive machine that is also Atalanta Bergamo (60), led by Duvan Zapata at the forefront, it was the promise of fireworks.

But this match with the flavor of the Champions League was ultimately first a fight, intense, in all corners of the field.

With few opportunities.

Until the Milan goal, the Bergamo goalkeeper Marco Sportiello was mainly illustrated by an atypical stop ... of the head, to deflect in a corner a back pass too supported by Cristian Romero (15th).

The "Dea" had better finished the first period by passing fears at Antonio Conte on two consecutive corners: a header from Zapata slammed by Samir Handanovic (39th) then a rescue on the line from Marcelo Brozovic (40th).

Gian Piero Gasperini then launched Josip Ilicic (46th) to try to increase the offensive pressure on Inter but it was ultimately the change initiated by Conte that would weigh: Arturo Vidal, disappointing for his return as holder, gave way to Cristian Eriksen who, barely entered (52nd), took the corner which brought Skriniar's goal.

Inter lacked nothing 2-0 in stride, Lukaku being taken in extremis by Romero (57th).

The rest - until the 90th - was to be completely Bergamasque.

Gasperini threw Muriel, Miranchuk then Pasalic to try to get the equalizer.

The opportunities were raining (Zapata close to, 68th, Muriel countered 76th, Pasalic next, 84th) but Inter backed up and did not break.

And the joy of the Milan bench at the final whistle does not deceive: this Inter deprived of scudetto for more than ten years (2010) has decided not to let go.

© 2021 AFP