Lautaro Martinez scored a hat-trick and Edin Dzeko netted a second-half brace as Inter Milan took all three points and climbed to the summit of the standings with 58 points from 27 games.
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Lautaro Martinez’ hat-trick and Edin Dzeko’s double helped Inter Milan thrash Salernitana 5-0 in the Serie A fixture at San Siro on Friday. The dominant victory took Inter to the summit of the league standings with 58 points from 27 games, just one point above Napoli and AC Milan. Martinez opened the scoring mid-way through the first half before doubling the lead before the break. Simone Inzaghi’s side continued to dominate the proceeding after the interval as Martinez completed his hat-trick ten minutes into the second half. And then, Dzeko put the cherry on the cake with two goals in the space of five minutes.
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? | VICTORY!
? Inter back to winning ways! ?
?? A goal fest at San Siro! ?#InterSalernitana 5⃣-0⃣
⚽️ 23 – #Lautaro
⚽️ 40 – #Lautaro
⚽️ 56 – #Lautaro
⚽️ 64 – @EdDzeko
⚽️ 69 – @EdDzekoPowered by @gruppo_a2a #FORZAINTER ⚫️? pic.twitter.com/o3C4uh6Ekq
— Inter ??? (@Inter_en) March 4, 2022
Salernitana could have taken an early lead when Grigoris Kastonas played a brilliant diagonal ball to find the run of Milan Djuric on goal, the 31-year-old laid it off for Simone Verdi who ballooned it over the bar from 15 yards.
After the initial hiccup, Inter slowly started controlling the game. Nicolo Barella played a superb overhead ball to release Martinez on goal, but the Argentine striker’s effort struck the crossbar. However the duo combined once again to open the scoring on 22 minutes. Barella played a perfect through ball to pick Martinez inside the box and the 24-year-old made no mistake as he slotted home past Luigi Sepe into the far bottom corner. It was the striker’s first goal in ten games.
Inter were playing with confidence and Martinez nearly had his second moments later, forcing a save from Sepe at the near post, then Ranieri made a decisive interception to stop Denzel Dumfries tapping in the Matteo Darmian assist.
However, Inter deservedly got their second of the night on 40 minutes courtesy of another brilliant pass from Barella which was converted by Martinez. The Italian midfielder received the ball from Brozovic and played an inch-perfect pass down the centre to release Martinez. The Argentine did well to hold off Ranieri before finishing into the same far bottom corner.
Inter extended their lead on 56 minutes, when Dzeko latched on to a loose ball on the right flank and delivered a low cross for Martinez to slide home from eight yards. Robin Gosens came off the bench for only his second appearance in the Inter Jersey and within 120 seconds provided the assist for Dzeko’s first goal of the night on 64 minutes.
The German left-back cut the ball back from the by-line for Dzeko to turn in from five yards. Five minutes later, Inter scored their fifth goal of the night when Barella released Dumfries down the right flank, the Dutchman raced forward before crossing the ball for Dzeko to slot home.
