Rome, March 1 Inter Milan took a four-point lead at the top of the Serie A table with a 3-0 win over Genoa at the San Siro, with striker Romelu Lukaku taking the center-stage.
Inter entered Sunday's game with four consecutive Serie A wins. With Achraf Hakimi sitting out, Matteo Darmian stepped in as the right-winger, while Christian Eriksen was preferred over Arturo Vidal, Xinhua news reports.
It was the perfect start for the hosts, going ahead through a counterattack just 32 seconds into the game. Lukaku surged forward after a give-and-go with Lautaro Martinez and drilled home with his weaker right foot.
Inter then dominated the game and made it 2-0 in the 69th minute as Lukaku drew the defenders by faking a shot, and then assisted unmarked Darmian to find the net.
The home side sealed the win eight minutes later, Lukaku was involved again as the Belgian's attempt was blocked, but Alexis Sanchez who just came off the bench nodded in the rebound. The goal was initially ruled offside, but the referee corrected it after checking the VAR.
The Nerazzurri continued their lead on the table with 56 points, four ahead of second-placed AC Milan who won 2-1 away to Roma.
In the high-profile fixture against Roma, Milan saw two goals in the opening minutes canceled due to offside, but the Rossoneri finally broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute with Franck Kessie's penalty.
Roma got back on level terms at the start of the second half, as Jordan Veretout's curler went beyond an out-stretched Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Milan restored the lead in the 57th minute as Ante Rebic scored the winner with a left-footed finish.
Also on Sunday, a pair of strikes by Dries Mertens and Matteo Politano helped Napoli beat Benevento 2-0, while Atalanta registered a third successive win after a 2-0 away win to Sampdoria.
In Sunday's other fixtures, Udinese narrowed past Fiorentina 1-0, while Cagliari conquered Crotone 2-0.
( With inputs from IANS )
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