Serie A leader Inter beats Bologna to go 18 points clear. Sassuolo, Cagliari win relegation fights

MILAN (AP) — Inter Milan continued its impressive run in 2024 with a 1-0 win at Bologna to move 18 points clear at the top of Serie A on Saturday but lost Marko Arnautović to another serious-looking injury.

Yann Bisseck’s first-half goal was enough to see Simone Inzaghi’s team extend its huge advantage over second-place Juventus, which hosts Atalanta on Sunday.

There are 10 games left after this round.

Inter has won all 13 of its matches this year in Serie A, the Italian Super Cup and the Champions League.

However, Bologna had also been in impressive form and had won its past six matches, including beating Atalanta last weekend to consolidate fourth place.

It was also the last team to beat Inter, in the Italian Cup on Dec. 20.

Star Inter forward Lautaro Martínez was given a rare rest ahead of the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 on Wednesday, with the Nerazzurri travelling to Atletico Madrid with a 1-0 lead.

Arnautović scored the winning goal in the first leg but the former Bologna forward limped off at the end of Saturday’s match against his old team with an apparent hamstring injury. He had already missed two months of the season through injury.

Inter broke the deadlock in the 37th minute when Alessandro Bastoni whipped in a fantastic cross from the left for a flying header by Bisseck at the back post.

Bologna came out aggressively at the start of the second half and Stefan Posch, Lewis Ferguson and Joshua Zirkzee all went close.

RELEGATION FIGHT

Relegation-threatened Sassuolo ended its eight-match winless run with a dramatic 1-0 win over fellow struggler Frosinone, which missed a last-gasp penalty.

Kristian Thorstvedt scored the only goal of the match in the 58th minute. Moments earlier the Sassuolo midfielder had almost given away a penalty following a challenge on Luca Mazzitelli but the referee revoked his decision after reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor.

Frosinone should have leveled right at the death when it was awarded penalty for a push by Gian Marco Ferrari on Marvin Cuni but Kaio Jorge’s spot kick brushed the outside of the left post.

Sassuolo, which had lost seven of its last eight matches, remained in penultimate position but moved to within a point of 17th-place Frosinone and safety.

Cagliari moved three points clear of the drop zone with a 4-2 win over bottom team Salernitana, which was 10 points from safety.

STUNNING STRIKE

A spectacular goal by Dany Mota helped Monza win 3-2 at Genoa despite letting a two-goal lead slip.

Dany Mota scored with an acrobatic, scissor-kicked volley to give Monza a comfortable 2-0 lead after 18 minutes but Genoa pulled it back after the break.

However, substitute Daniel Maldini tapped in the winner 11 minutes from time, just four minutes after coming off the bench.

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AP soccer: https://ift.tt/Uq2Tr8a

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