Martínez Brace Keeps Inter Milan in Pursuit of Leaders
Inter forward Lautaro Martínez scored a second-half brace to secure his team a 2-0 victory at Pisa, keeping the visitors very much engaged in the Serie A championship battle despite a less than convincing performance.
League Table Update
Under manager Cristian Chivu, Inter now sit in third position in the table with 27 points, tied with second-placed Roma and just one point behind leaders Milan. Meanwhile, Pisa hold the third bottom position with 10 points.
Match Summary
Inter traveled in Tuscany aiming to get back on track after suffering a derby defeat by Milan recently, which was followed by a European loss at Atlético Madrid. However, they were made to battle all the way by promoted Pisa. The hosts generated plenty of opportunities, but a efficient Inter broke the deadlock in the 69th minute when Argentine Martínez drilled a first-time shot into the roof of the net. The forward then tapped in from point-blank seven minutes from time.
The team’s ability to convert despite pressure proved crucial in earning the victory.
Additional European Matches
Across in Spain, Real Sociedad staged a thrilling fightback from 2-0 down to equalize at home against Villarreal, only to succumb to a late strike five minutes into added time. The visitors’ goals came from Ayoze Pérez shortly after the half-hour mark and Alberto Moleiro in the 57th minute, but Carlos Soler quickly pulled one back and Ander Barrenetxea equalised three minutes from time. Yet, Moleiro had the final say deep into stoppage time.
In the late Spanish match, Real Madrid travel to Girona requiring a victory to return to the summit above Barcelona, who secured a 3-1 win over Alavés on Saturday.
- The Nerazzurri remain in close pursuit for the Italian crown.
- Martínez demonstrated his worth with a match-winning performance.
- The title race goes on with several clubs in the mix.
