MILAN: Inter Milan saw off Como 2-0 on Monday to stretch their unbeaten run in Serie A to 11 games and move back to within three points of leaders Atalanta.
Defender Carlos Augusto headed in from a corner early in the second half before Marcus Thuram wrapped up a fourth successive league win with a thumping finish in stoppage time.
Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer made a pivotal save on the hour mark to deny Nico Paz an equalizer, as Simone Inzaghi's side showed signs of weariness at the San Siro after their third outing within the week.
Thuram's goal marked his 12th of the season, placing him level with Atalanta striker Mateo Retegui for the league lead. "Marcus is a high-class player who always trains well and has adapted very quickly to the way we play," said coach Simone Inzaghi. "You have to congratulate Como for coming here and giving it their all, but we stayed focused and showed great maturity."
Currently, Inter sits third, just one point behind SSC Napoli, but with the advantage of having played one game less than the top two teams. This is due to their match against ACF Fiorentina being canceled at the start of December following the sudden collapse of player Edoardo Bove.
Upcoming, Inter Milan is set to visit lowly Cagliari this weekend, which presents another opportunity to apply pressure on Atalanta, who face SS Lazio later on Saturday.
Como, under the leadership of coach Cesc Fabregas, fell to 16th place, remaining just one point clear of the relegation zone after this defeat.
Fiorentina also suffered setbacks as they lost ground in the title race, falling 2-1 at home to Udinese. Moise Kean's early penalty had initially put Fiorentina ahead as they aimed to recover from their previous weekend's loss to Bologna, which had ended their eight-match winning streak.
Udinese equalized shortly after halftime through Lorenzo Lucca, and former France international Florian Thauvin sealed the victory with a stunning curled effort from outside the area. "The most important thing for me is not the goal but the victory. These are three important points against a very strong team," commented Udinese captain Thauvin.
With their latest performance, Inter Milan continues to assert themselves as strong contenders for the Serie A title, maintaining momentum as the season progresses.
