Swedish international striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored both goals as champions Inter Milan beat Empoli 2-0 on Saturday to go top of Serie A.
Inter had endured a disappointing start to the season last weekend when they were held to a 1-1 draw at the San Siro by Udinese in a game where goalkeeper Julio Cesar was sent off.
He was suspended on Saturday which meant a rare start for the experienced Francesco Toldo, who was kept busy by the battling Empoli.
PHOTO: AP
Inter, still missing injured pair Marco Materazzi and Patrick Vieira, were in front after 13 minutes when Ibrahimovic volleyed in a Maicon cross.
Empoli had a penalty appeal turned down after 15 minutes when Luca Saudati was sandwiched between Ivan Cordoba and Walter Samuel, but the referee turned down the appeals.
The home side continued to press in the second half and Toldo was called upon to keep out a Davide Moro drive and then denied Vittorio Tosto and Nicola Pozzi in quick succession.
PHOTO: AP
But against the run of play Inter made sure of the win with seven minutes remaining.
Dejan Stankovic combined with substitute Luis Figo down the right and Cesar touched on for the unmarked Ibrahimovic to sidefoot home.
Bologna on Thursday advanced past Empoli to reach their first Coppa Italia final in more than half a century. Thijs Dallinga’s 87th-minute header earned Bologna a 2-1 win and his side advanced 5-1 on aggregate. Giovanni Fabbian opened the scoring for Bologna with a header seven minutes in. Then Viktor Kovalenko equalized for Empoli in the 30th minute by turning in a rebound to finish off a counterattack. Bologna won the first leg 3-0. In the May 14 final in Rome, Bologna are to face AC Milan, who eliminated city rivals Inter 4-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 win on Wednesday. Bologna last reached the
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