Inter Milan return to Serie A summit after fortunate win at Venezia

Inter Milan made it four successive victories in all competitions by beating Venezia 2-0 at Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo, a result which also returned them to the top of Serie A and maintained their unbeaten run.

After requiring two stoppage-time goals to overcome Fiorentina at the weekend, Inter had been expected to find life more straightforward against the division’s bottom side. Instead, they endured a difficult first half and were fortunate not to fall behind.

Venezia missed an early opportunity when Akor Adams headed wide inside the opening 10 minutes. The hosts continued to threaten after Filip Stankovic, a former Inter youth player, had denied Ange-Yoan Bonny at the other end.

Inter goalkeeper Ivan Provedel then had to turn a low Adams effort around the post before Venezia thought they had gone ahead shortly before the half-hour mark. Lion Lauberbach finished from close range, but the German forward was narrowly offside.

There was further danger for Inter before the interval. Provedel produced an outstanding save to push Lauberbach’s effort against the crossbar, keeping the visitors level at half-time.

Venezia continued to create chances after the restart, but their struggles in front of goal this season were again evident. Adams found Gianluca Busio with a cross after breaking down the right, although the substitute lifted his shot over Provedel’s crossbar.

Adams later found the net himself, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside.

Inter, who arrived as Serie A’s leading scorers with 23 goals, eventually began to offer more of an attacking threat. Marcus Thuram headed narrowly wide before playing a decisive role in the opening goal.

The France forward sent a low cross into the penalty area, and Matias Moreno turned the ball into his own net to give Inter the lead.

Venezia’s misfortune continued when Carlos Augusto’s header took a substantial deflection off Redouane Halhal and went beyond his own goalkeeper, giving Inter a second goal.

Those two fortunate strikes proved enough for Inter to secure all three points despite a performance well below their best.

Venezia’s display offered encouragement to new head coach Davide Nicola, but the defeat was their ninth in 10 competitive matches and left them in the bottom three.

Carlos Augusto was named Flashscore’s Man of the Match for Inter Milan.