Defending champ Inter wins at Cagliari to move level with Atalanta atop Serie A

ROME (AP) — Thirteen goals scored. Zero conceded. Four wins in four matches across all competitions.

Ever since a 1-0 loss at Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League this month, Inter Milan has been virtually perfect.

The latest performance for the defending Serie A champion was a 3-0 win at Cagliari on Saturday, when Nicolò Barella set up two goals.

The victory moved Inter level on points with Atalanta atop the league, ahead of Atalanta playing Lazio later and attempting to extend its winning streak to 12 matches.

Inter also has a match in hand.

Inter will face Atalanta in its next match on Thursday, in the semifinals of the Italian Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.

Juventus plays AC Milan in the other semifinal.

Alessandro Bastoni put Inter ahead with a looping header following a cross from Barella after the break.

Lautaro Martinez scored his first Serie A goal in nearly two months by volleying in another cross from Barella.

Then Hakan Calhanoglu converted a penalty.

Earlier, Patrick Vieira’s Genoa won at Empoli 2-1 with goals from Milan Badelj and Caleb Ekuban; and Parma beat last-placed Monza 2-1 with a header from Lautaro Rodrigo Valenti eight minutes into stoppage time to spoil the debut of new Monza coach Salvatore Bocchetti.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Source