Inter Milan continued their strong form in the Italian League with a convincing 3-1 win over Parma at the San Siro on Friday evening. The match, part of the 15th round of Serie A, saw Inter extend their impressive run in the competition.
The Nerazzurri showcased their attacking prowess, with goals from Federico Dimarco (40’), Nicolo Barella (53’), and Marcus Thuram (67’). However, the match wasn’t without setbacks, as Matteo Darmian inadvertently scored an own goal in the 81st minute, giving Parma their sole strike of the evening.
With this victory, Inter Milan climbed to 31 points, moving closer to league leaders Napoli, who sit just one point ahead. Meanwhile, Parma remains in 12th place with 15 points, struggling to find consistent form.
The result reinforced Inter’s position as title contenders this season, while Parma faces an uphill battle to climb the Serie A standings.
Inter Milan began their clash against Parma with high intensity, nearly opening the scoring early. Lautaro Martínez was brought down in the box, initially earning a penalty, but the referee reversed the decision after consulting VAR, awarding a free kick on the edge of the area instead. Dimarco and Hakan Çalhanoğlu combined for the set piece, with Hakan unleashing a powerful shot that deflected off a defender and narrowly missed the post.
Parma suffered a setback in the 12th minute when Balog exited due to injury, replaced by Giovanni Leone. Inter capitalized on the disruption, applying relentless pressure. Marcus Thuram almost broke the deadlock, firing a left-footed shot over the crossbar after a corner. Moments later, Denzel Dumfries struck the post with a thunderous effort from the right.
Inter believed they had taken the lead when Lautaro converted a Thuram assist into the back of the net, but the goal was ruled offside.
Parma responded in the 22nd minute, with Simon Sohm creating their first chance, though his low shot went wide of Yann Sommer’s left post.
Lautaro had another golden opportunity after Parma goalkeeper Suzuki parried Dimarco’s shot, only for the rebound to fall to the Argentine, who uncharacteristically missed the target.
Parma’s best chance came in the 27th minute when Cancelleri unleashed a fierce strike, but Sommer rose to the occasion, tipping it away for a corner.
Inter’s persistence finally paid off in the 40th minute. After a dynamic exchange between Dimarco and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Dimarco controlled the ball superbly and fired a low shot past Suzuki to put Inter ahead.
The goal epitomized Inter’s dominance and set the stage for their eventual 3-1 victory, as they maintained control and capitalized on their attacking opportunities in the second half.
Inter Milan maintained their intensity in the second half, with Alessandro Bastoni delivering an accurate cross to the far right, where full-back Denzel Dumfries outjumped the defence but narrowly headed the ball wide of the post.
In the 53rd minute, Nicolò Barella doubled Inter’s lead with a brilliant goal. Receiving a long pass that left him one-on-one with the goalkeeper, Barella skillfully dribbled past defender Valeri and slotted the ball into the net. Initially disallowed for offside, the goal was reinstated after a VAR review.
Parma goalkeeper Suzuki continued his stellar performance, denying Lautaro Martínez with a spectacular save. Lautaro’s header, off a perfectly timed cross from Bastoni, seemed destined for the back of the net until Suzuki’s reflexes kept it out.
Marcus Thuram added a third for Inter in the 67th minute. Following a corner by Çalhanoğlu, Besik’s header directed the ball toward Thuram, who tapped it in at the far post to extend Inter’s advantage.
Despite Inter’s dominance, Lautaro squandered another golden opportunity in the 74th minute. Joaquin Correa set him up beautifully, but Lautaro’s outside-foot finish missed the target, leaving the score unchanged.
Parma managed to pull one back in the 81st minute, capitalizing on a defensive lapse. A miscommunication between Stefan de Vrij and Kristjan Asllani allowed Dennis Man to pressure the defence, leading Matteo Darmian to inadvertently deflect the ball into his own net.
Late drama ensued as Lautaro earned a penalty after being challenged by defender Heino. However, after consulting VAR, the referee overturned the decision, citing minimal contact. The closing minutes unfolded without further incident, as Inter secured a well-earned 3-1 victory.
