Inter Milan secured a crucial 3-1 victory over Udinese in Serie A on Saturday thanks to a second-half wonder goal from Henrikh Mkhitaryan at the San Siro.
Romelu Lukaku gave the hosts an early lead from the penalty spot, only for Sandi Lovric to equalize for Udinese just before the break.
After an intense battle in the second half, it was Mkhitaryan who stepped up to the plate with a superb volley in the 73rd minute to restore Inter’s lead. Lautaro Martinez then sealed the victory for Simone Inzaghi’s side with a late goal in the 89th minute.
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Inter started the match with great intensity and energy that Udinese found hard to handle. This led to the opening goal when Denzel Dumfries was brought down in the box by Walace, with Lukaku converting the penalty despite his initial effort being saved by Marco Silvestri. However, the home side failed to capitalize on their early advantage and Udinese drew level just before half-time when Lovric scored from a swift counter-attack.
As the second half wore on, it seemed as if Inter would have to settle for a draw, but Mkhitaryan had other ideas. The Armenia international received a cross from Federico Dimarco in the 73rd minute and expertly lifted the ball beyond Silvestri to put Inter back in front. Martinez then sealed the victory for the Nerazzurri with a powerful strike in the dying moments of the game.
With this win, Inter moved three points clear of third-placed Milan in the congested European race.
The victory was well deserved for Inter, who displayed great character and resilience to overcome a stubborn Udinese side. This result will give Inzaghi’s team a much-needed boost as they look to maintain their position in the Serie A standings.
