Lautaro Martinez and the debut Serie A goal for Francesco Pio Esposito allowed Inter to secure a 2-0 victory away to on form Cagliari.The Nerazzurri were stuttering, losing two straight Serie A games ...
Lautaro Martinez and the debut Serie A goal for Francesco Pio Esposito allowed Inter to secure a 2-0 victory away to on form Cagliari.
The Nerazzurri were stuttering, losing two straight Serie A games before scraping a 2-1 win over Sassuolo, and beating Ajax 2-0 away in the Champions League. Lautaro Martinez returned to the starting XI after shaking off a back problem, with Ange-Yoan Bonny not at 100 per cent. Brothers Sebastiano and Francesco Pio Esposito faced off on opposite sides, as the Sardinians missed Zito Luvumbo, Gabriele Zappa, Boris Radunovic and Nicola Pintus. They were coming off back-to-back Serie A victories over Parma and Lecce, plus a midweek 4-1 Coppa Italia success against Frosinone.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
CAGLIARI, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 27: Michael Folorunsho of Cagliari in contrast during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and FC Internazionale at Stadio Sant’Elia on September 27, 2025 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)
The captain made an immediate impact on his return, as within nine minutes he was ready at the back post to steer in the header on an Alessandro Bastoni cross from the left. Remarkably, this was the 12th goal Lautaro Martinez has scored against Cagliari in his career.
Marcus Thuram failed to surprise Elia Caprile with a back-heel flick, then Josep Martinez rushed out to pluck a long ball off the head of Andrea Belotti, but the striker slipped and sprained his left knee in the process.
CAGLIARI, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 27: Andrea Belotti of Cagliari lies on the ground with an injury during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and FC Internazionale at Stadio Sant’Elia on September 27, 2025 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)
Inter were unlucky not to double their lead on 53 minutes, as Barella laid it off for Hakan Calhanoglu to sweep first-time from outside the D, as the low drive bounced off the inside of the upright and back out.
Moments later, Thuram skinned Yerry Mina to get away and his strike towards the far top corner was well palmed away by Caprile.
Federico Dimarco volleyed a dangerous ball across the six-yard line, but Thuram didn’t get there in time for what would’ve been an easy tap-in, while Lautaro Martinez flicked a long ball wide after Caprile mistimed the rush off his line.
CAGLIARI, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 27: Michael Folorunsho of Cagliari in contrast during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and FC Internazionale at Stadio Sant’Elia on September 27, 2025 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)
Cagliari thought they had equalised on 73 minutes when Michael Folorunsho got his head to a corner, but it thumped the base of the near post from seven yards.
Dimarco, Manuel Akanji and Francesco Pio Esposito turned wide from promising positions, but Dimarco needed a decisive block to throw himself in the path of Gennaro Borrelli’s ferocious half-volley from 12 yards.
Riyad Idrissi needed a desperate goal-line clearance to deny Davide Frattesi, but the move continued and Dimarco pulled back from the by-line for Pio Esposito to turn in his first ever Serie A goal.
Cagliari kept pushing, Michel Adopo’s glancing header flashing inches wide, while Henrikh Mkhitaryan thumped the near post with a scuffed finish one-on-one.
Lautaro Martinez 9 (I), Pio Esposito 82 (I)
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Serie A Week 5 Liveblog: Juventus-Atalanta, Cagliari-Inter, Como-Cremonese
Category: General Sports
