MILAN: Inter Milan snatched a dramatic 3-2 win over AC Milan in yesterday’s derby thanks to a last-minute penalty from Mauro Icardi, who completed his hat-trick and condemned their gallant opponents to a third successive league defeat.
Milan twice hit back to equalise but were sent tail-spinning towards a crisis after defender Ricardo Rodriguez hauled down Danilo D’Ambrosio at a corner and Icardi converted his ninth league goal of the season.
Inter’s win kept them second and unbeaten in Serie A with 22 points from eight games, two behind leaders Napoli who have a 100 percent record following their win at AS Roma on Saturday.
Milan, on the other hand, have dropped to tenth with four wins and four defeats – far below the level expected of a side who spent more than 200 million euros ($236.3 million) in the close season.
Earlier, Torino lost ground on the leaders after a 2-2 draw at Crotone as Atalanta also slipped up with a 3-1 defeat at Sampdoria.
Despite qualifying for the Europa League this season and earning a win over Everton and a draw at Lyon, Atalanta are struggling in Serie A.
Bryan Cristante opened with a 21st minute goal in Genoa only for Giampiero Gasperini’s side to concede three in a 12-minute second half spree for Sampdoria.
Duvan Zapata got the equaliser on 56 minutes with Gianluca Caprari pulling the Genoa outfit ahead three minutes later and Karol Linetty sealing victory on 65 minutes.
Sampdoria move up to sixth place with the side from Bergamo now in 12th.
Torino settled for a point at Crotone with Lorenzo De Silvestri nodding in the equaliser two minutes into injury time.
Torino are now eighth, with Bologna moving just ahead with a 2-1 derby win over SPAL.
Rodrigo Palacio was involved in both of Bologna’s goals, first setting up Andrea Poli then causing an own-goal from Bartosz Salamon before Spal pulled one back.
French striker Cyril Thereau scored in either half to get Fiorentina back to winning ways with a 2-1 success over his former club Udinese.
Brazilian defender Samir pulled one back on 72 minutes as Udinese fought back in the second half.
It was a third win of the season for Fiorentina who have suffered four defeats in eight games and move to 11th two places ahead of Udinese.
Napoli pulled clear at the top of Serie A on Saturday by beating Roma 1-0 with Ciro Immobile’s second-half brace for Lazio condemning champions Juventus to a first home defeat, 2-1, in over two years.
Napoli go five points clear of the six-time reigning champions who are now equal on 19 points.