This fascinating race for the 2023/24 Scudetto took another early twist on Saturday night as Inter Milan toppled AC Milan off the summit of the Serie A table, thanks to a comfortable 3-0 win away to Torino.
I Nerazzurri lost their lead last week when they dropped points by surrendering a two goal lead at home to Bologna, but there was no such generosity when they headed to Turin, as the red hot Lautaro Martinez made it 11 goals for the campaign to give him a five goal lead in the early race for the 2024 Capocannoniere. At odds of 1.73 to win the game, Inter were in control from start to finish, winning the shot count by 14 to seven, but they had to be patient and finally broke through on the hour when Marcus Thurman converted a pass from Denzil Dumfries.
Inter keeper Yann Sommer made a couple of fine saves to keep out the hosts but when Martinez pounced, with a quarter of the game remaining, the points were in the bag for Simone Inzaghi’s team. Hakan Calhanoglu calmly slotted home a 95th minute penalty to give the score-line an emphatic look and now it’s over to AC Milan to respond.
The Serie A 2023 betting odds have positioned I Nerazzurri as favourites to win the Scudetto and, on this evidence, they will take some beating.
Napoli get back to winning ways in Verona
Napoli drew level on points with third placed Juventus thanks to an impressive 3-1 victory, also on the road, away to Hellas Verona at SBOTOP odds of 1.62. The 2023 champions are in fifth position and nicely in contention after shrugging off back to back defeats to Fiorentina in the league and Real Madrid in the Champions League.
With Victor Osimhen sidelined it was time for Matteo Politano to shine and so he did, scoring the opener and then providing two assists, both for Georgian winger Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, who ended match as a competition with clinical finishes either side of half time. Verona substitute Darko Lazovic pulled one back for the hosts but that was merely a consolation against the dominant Napoli
I Partenopei are in Champions League action next, when they face Union Berlin in a Group C clash, which they will expect to win against a side on an eight match losing run in all competitions. Win that game and Napoli will start to gather momentum.
Sassuolo howlers send Lazio into the top half
In other Saturday Serie A 2023 news, another away victory, a 2-0 win for Lazio against Sassuolo took Maurizio Sarri’s team into the top half of the Serie A table. I Biancoceleste finished as runners up last season andstarted this campaign with high hopes but, without the departed midfield general Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, they have made a stuttering start and began this game in 13th position. Facing 12th placed Sassuolo with the dangerous Domenico Berardi in their ranks was a tough proposition and a win at SBOTOP odds of 2.51 was a cracking result for the Romans. They had plenty of help from their hosts through, as defensive clangers presented Lazio with both of their goals.
Sarri watched the game from the stands due to yet another touchline ban for the fiery boss, but he had a relatively calm evening as his team took advantage of their hosts’ generosity. Sassuolo defender Ruan Tressoldi had already had one let-off when he mis-placed a pass but, when he dallied on the ball for too long he had his pocket picked by Luis Alberto who passed to Taty Castellanos who in turn squared for Felipe Anderson to slide home his first goal of the campaign. Anderson then turned provider when he fired a dangerous ball into the box; Sassuolo’s Daniel Boloca made a complete hash of his attempted clearance and Luis Alberto was left unmarked to dink his shot home from six yards.
Lazio keeper Ivan Providel was back in the starting line-up after recovering from a hip operation, but his match was almost ended prematurely, on 62 minutes, when he was handed a red card for handball outside the area. The home fans had hope that their team might be able to salvage something from the wreckage, until VAR came to Providel’s rescue showing that, while his body was outside the penalty area he had kept the ball within the line.
You see…VAR can work sometimes. Take note Premier League officials!
So as dawn broke on Sunday morning I Nerazzurri are back on the top of the league and Napoli and Lazio are looking healthier. With AC Milan hosting Juventus on Sunday night there may be another change at the summit; and that’s what makes this Serie A title race so great to watch.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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