Lautaro Martinez opened the scoring before Milan Skriniar and Nicolo Barella netted and then after the break Matias Vecino and Eden Dzeko completed the drubbing.
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Eden Dzeko scored a second-half brace as Inter Milan thrashed Bologna 6-1 at San Siro on Saturday. The defending champions wasted no time as Lautaro Martinez opened the scoring in the 6th minute before Milan Skriniar and Nicolo Barella made the score 3-0 going into the break. The home side continued their domination after the restart as Matias Vecino scored their fourth of the night. After Dzeko’s brace, the away side got a late consolation goal through Arthur Theate. In the other match of the day, Atalanta edged past Salernitana courtesy of Duvan Zapata’s lone goal.
Both sides were coming into the match with seven points from the opening three games, but the home side clearly dominated Bologna from the start. Denzel Dumfries delivered a precise low cross from the right for Martinez to tap in from close range. On the half-hour mark, Skriniar extended the lead with a towering-headed goal from a corner.
Four minutes later, Dumfries was again involved as Simone Inzaghi’s side scored their third of the night. The Dutch right-wing-back’s low cross was blocked by Lorenzo De Silvestri only for Barella to slot in from inside the box.
Dumfries was having an excellent game as the Bologna defence was struggling to cope with his pace and trickery. The 25-year-old easily went past Aaron Hickey to set up Martinez but the Argentine’s shot clattered onto the crossbar.
In the 54th minute, left-wing-back Federico Dimarco set up Vecino to score at the far post after Dzeko and Dumfries missed the ball. And then, Dzeko, who came in for injured Joaquin Correa in the first half scored his first of the night in the 62nd minute. Martinez played a clever little dummy to leave Marcelo Brozovic’s pass for Dzeko inside the box. The Bosnian controlled the ball and slotted it past Lukasz Skorupski with the outside of his right foot. It was a brilliant finish for Inter Milan.
And then, Six minutes later, Alexis Sanchez set up Dzeko to fire in from a tight angle. Although Theate pulled one back for the away side with an 86 minute diving header, it was a complete performance from Inter Milan. Inzaghi’s side didn’t allow the away side to get into the game at all as they managed 11 shots on target compared to just two from Bologna.
The win ensured Inter climbed above AS Roma to the top of the table with 10 points from a possible 12 so far. Meanwhile after the first defeat of the season, Bologna are seventh in the table.
On the other hand, it was end-to-end action at Stadio Arechi. Robin Gosens’ low shot from the edge of the box required a full-stretch save from Vid Belec. At the other end, Mamadou Coulibaly’s long ranger went inches over the bar. The home side slowly started to create more chances. Milan Đurić played through Cedric Gondo with a deft touch but the 24-year-old’s shot from outside the box was well saved by Atalanta goalkeeper Juan Musso at the near post.
Two substitutes Federico Bonazzoli and Joel combined to open up the Atalanta defence but the latter was denied by the post. And then against the run of play, the away side scored the winner in the 75th minute. Josep Ilicic set up Zapata to score from close range.
The win helped Atalanta to seven points from four games whereas Salernitana are yet to open their account and are trailing at the bottom of the table.
