Inter Milan ease past Cagliari in Serie A

Inzaghi’s side continues perfect start with 2-0 win, holds onto third position

ROME:

Inter Milan stayed perfect in Serie A as they won 2-0 at Cagliari in the last match of the second round on Monday.

Inter dominated the first 30 minutes and scored the goals they needed for the win.

Right wing back Denzel Dumfries ran onto a cunning through ball by Marcus Thuram after 21 minutes and placed a low cross-shot past goalie Boris Radunovic.

After 30 minutes, Lautaro Martinez, who had earlier hit a post, leapt to control a pass from Federico Dimarco with his toe, sidestepped two defenders and left Radunovic flat-footed with a low shot inside near the post.

With three goals in two matches, the Argentina striker joined Olivier Giroud of AC Milan and Victor Osimhen of Napoli at the top of the scorers' charts.

In the second half, Inter successfully slowed the game down until the final minutes when Claudio Ranieri's Cagliari took more risks.

Yann Sommer made a spectacular save from Cagliari substitute Paulo Azzi and Hakan Calhanoglu hit the Cagliari post on a counter-attack.

It was a second straight 2-0 victory for Inter and leaves them third in the standings. AC Milan lead on goal difference. Champions Napoli are second, ahead of Inter on goals scored. Verona lie fourth also on six points.

Lukaku set for Roma loan

Chelsea have agreed to loan of Belgian international striker Romelu Lukaku to Serie A side Roma, Gazzetta dello Sport reported on Monday.

According to the Italian sports daily, Roma will pay the London club 5.8 million euros ($6.2 million) and the player will receive an annual salary of 7.5 million euros.

Gazzetta said Lukaku was due to arrive in Rome to undergo a medical.

At Roma, the Belgian will be reunited with Jose Mourinho, who previously coached the striker at Chelsea and Manchester United.

Lukaku returned to Chelsea in 2021 for 115 million euros from Inter Milan. He first joined Chelsea in 2011 and left for Everton in 2014 before moving on to Manchester United and Inter.

Lukaku, 30, spent last season on loan in Italy, back at Inter, scoring 14 goals.

Roma have already signed Iranian international Sardar Azmoun on loan from Bayer Leverkusen and the Paris Saint-Germain midfield pair of Leandro Paredes and Renato Sanches, the latter also on loan.