Inter’s Serie A bid in peril after ‘gifting’ Bologna win
MILAN: Inter Milan coach Antonio Conte said his team “gifted” Bologna a 2-1 win on Sunday after they blew a goal and a one-man advantage to see their Serie A title challenge all but ended in dramatic fashion.
Conte’s men needed a win to move back to within eight points of leaders Juventus, and one of second-placed Lazio, but despite leading through Romelu Lukaku’s 20th league goal of the campaign and playing against 10 men, contrived to collapse to defeat.
Juventus sit seven points clear at the top after beating Torino in the Turin derby on Saturday, when second-placed Lazio were thumped by AC Milan.
Inter, who also missed a penalty when 1-0 up, are now 11 points off the pace with only eight matches of the season remaining and just one point ahead of fourth-placed Atalanta who beat Cagliari 1-0.
“It’s clear what happened, so there’s not much I can say,” Conte told DAZN. “We all have to take our share of the responsibility, first of all me as the coach, then the players who step onto that pitch. I think we gifted Bologna the game today and it’s not the first time.
“We have to ask ourselves questions now, both myself and the players.”
The third-placed hosts forged ahead midway through the first half as Lautaro Martinez headed Ashley Young’s leftwing cross against the post, but Lukaku was on hand to tap in.
Atalanta were not at their free-flowing best but still did enough to claim their 10th straight win in all competitions against 10-man Cagliari.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s men looked set to battle Roma for the fourth and final Champions League place when Serie A restarted following the coronavirus lockdown, but are now closer to leaders Juventus than they are to the capital club.
Luis Muriel scored the winner from the penalty spot in the 27th minute.
Napoli moved level on points with opponents Roma after Lorenzo Insigne’s strike eight minutes from time grabbed a 2-1 win.
RESULTS
Inter Milan 1 (Lukaku 22) Bologna 2 (Juwara 74, Barrow 80)
Brescia 2 (Papetti 52, Donnarumma 90+6) Hellas Verona 0
Cagliari 0 Atalanta 1 (Muriel 27-pen)
Parma 1 (Kucka 49-pen) Fiorentina 2 (Pulgar 19-pen, 31-pen)
Sampdoria 3 (Linetty 12, 45+3, Gabbiadini 45) SPAL 0 Udinese 2 (Fofana 44, Lasagna 73) Genoa 2 (Pandev 81, Pinamonti 90+7)
Napoli 2 (Callejon 55, Insigne 82) Roma 1 (Mkhitaryan 60)