Inter Milan recorded a confidence-boosting 3-0 win at Sassuolo on Saturday to end the home side’s unbeaten start in Serie A.
Alexis Sanchez scored early on and a Vlad Chiriches own goal shortly after doubled Inter’s lead. Roberto Gagliardini scored in the second half as Inter recorded only its second win in its past seven matches.
Inter played with the ferocity coach Antonio Conte had been demanding and Sassuolo barely had a sight of goal apart from a curled effort from Filip Suricic that hit the outside of the right post.
Inter moved second, level on points with Sassuolo but above it on goal difference. Head-to-head record is the first tiebreak at the end of the season. They are both two points below AC Milan, which hosts Fiorentina on Sunday.
Juventus can move a point above Inter with a win at Benevento later Saturday. Atalanta was also playing later, against Hellas Verona.
Sassuolo knew it could move top with a win at Inter. The Nerazzurri were looking to bounce back from a midweek home defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Just like in all the Serie A matches this weekend, there was a tribute to Diego Maradona, who died on Wednesday in his native Argentina. That included a minute’s silence for the former Napoli player, while his image was also projected again on the stadium screens in the 10th minute, in honour of his jersey number.
Inter got off to the perfect start when Chiriches’ clearance was intercepted by Lautaro Martinez, who then rounded goalkeeper Andrea Consigli. Chiriches got back but Martinez managed to roll it across for the easiest of goals for Sanchez.
The visitors’ doubled their lead 10 minutes later as a corner from the left came to Arturo Vidal and his cross bounced off Chiriches and squeezed into the bottom right corner.
Chiriches’ day went from bad to worse as he limped off with a suspected hamstring injury at the end of the first half.
Inter all but sealed the result on the hour with a splendid finish into the bottom left corner from Gagliardini after a cross from Matteo Darmian.
Conte had rested Romelu Lukaku and only put the forward on for the final 11 minutes. That was still time enough for him to find the back of the net, but it was ruled out for offside.