Inter Milan passed their Roma test at the San Siro with flying colors.
The defending champions moved to the top of the Serie A standings after earning a 3-1 victory over José Mourinho’s Roma.
In what could have been a tricky tie for Inter Milan against a side unbeaten in 12 games, they continued their recent resurgence to ease to victory.
Denzel Dumfries fired his side into the lead at the half-hour mark, before a fine solo effort from Marcelo Brozovic double the hosts’ advantage five minutes before the break.
Argentine striker Lautaro Martinez headed home from a corner in the 52nd minute to make it three for Inter before Henrikh Mkhitaryan fired home his team’s only goal in the 85th minute.
Roma’s Jose Mourinho was given a warm reception from fans who have not forgotten his greatest managerial achievement after he guided Inter Milan to an unprecedented treble of the Serie A title, Coppa Italia, and Champions League crowns in 2010.
But Mourinho’s team was on the back foot from the off as Hakan Calhanoglu arrowed a strike from distance just past the post to signal the intent.
The opener came from a fine passing move which set the Dutchman Dumfries racing clear before finishing well.
Inter remained in the ascendancy but Roma, with their only real chance of the first half, should have leveled through Gianluca Mancini, with the defender heading wide from a corner.
That miss proved costly as Brozovic then rifled a strike into the top corner to put Inter in command.
Martinez, in fine form of his own having scored against Spezia last weekend and netting a double in Inter’s Coppa Italia semi-final win over Milan in midweek, continued his goal-scoring streak with a bullet header.
Mkhitaryan’s fifth league goal of an impressive season was a fine one but Roma was outclassed by champions who are hell-bent on retaining the Scudetto.
Inter’s fourth successive league win moved them on to 72 points from 33 matches, one ahead of Milan who will have the chance to move back top today.
Roma stays fifth on 58 points.
