Inter beat lowly Bologna 2-1 at the San Siro to join Lazio at the top of Serie A after the Romans were held to a 1-1 home draw by Lecce on Saturday.
An exquisite Zlatan Ibrahimovic finish and an Adriano penalty gave champions Inter the spoils against Bologna, who pulled a goal back through Vaggelis Moras.
Ibrahimovic could have put Inter in front sooner than he did, but Francesco Antonioli saved the Sweden striker’s shot when he went through one-on-one. But Jose Mourinho’s men were in front on 25 minutes after Adriano beat his man down the left and crossed for Ibrahimovic to flick the ball with the outside of his boot past Antonioli, despite facing the wrong way. It was a goal that was an almost exact replica of a strike by former Inter boss Roberto Mancini in his Lazio playing days 10 years ago.
PHOTO: AFP
Inter threatened to run riot as Ibrahimovic finished wildly over the bar and Antonioli did brilliantly to keep out an Adriano effort. But five minutes into the second half Sergio Volpi handled a cross from Brazilian winger Mancini and Adriano buried the spot kick low to the goalkeeper’s left.
It seemed as if Inter were home and dry, but a defensive mix up between South Americans Javier Zanetti and Ivan Cordoba presented Moras with a simple finish.
Inter continued to press and control the game and late on substitute Dejan Stankovic saw his fierce shot saved by Antonioli, while Nigerian forward Victor Obinna was well off target with a shot after meeting a cross he should have left for Ibrahimovic.
The Swede could have scored his second of the game deep into injury time, but he fired wide when one-on-one again with Antonioli.
At the Stadio Olimpico, veteran striker Simone Inzaghi scored a minute from time to salvage a point for league leaders Lazio, who remain top on goal difference, after Simone Tiribocchi had given Lecce a first-half lead.
Stefano Mauri came close to turning home a cross at the back post before Cristian Ledesma fired in a free-kick from the left that Francesco Benussi had to tip over the bar on 14 minutes. But for all Lazio’s possession, pressure and territorial advantage, Lecce held firm and took the lead in simple fashion.
Right-back Tiziano Polenghi advanced down the right and swung over a cross that Tiribocchi met with a firm downward header that bounced up and went in off the underside of the bar.
Then with a minute left, substitute Mourad Meghni’s cross found Inzaghi and he made no mistake.
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