Inter Milan moved six points clear at the top of Serie A on Wednesday after beating Lecce 1-0 and taking advantage of Napoli’s goalless draw with Parma.
Pio Esposito tapped home the only goal of a tight contest in the 78th minute at the San Siro, the Italy attacker pouncing after Lautaro Martinez’s powerful shot was kept out by Wladimiro Falcone.
Substitute Esposito, 20, is a home grown hope for Inter and Italy, with three goals in his first five matches for his country since making his senior international debut in September.
He is liked by Inter boss Cristian Chivu who also coached Esposito when he was in charge of the youth team before beginning his senior managerial career at Parma last season.
“We have a relationship where not much is said but where there’s a lot of affection,” said Esposito.
“He’s one of those people that might not say much but you know he’s there. We’ve come through more or less at the same time, him as coach and me as a player, so we have a real connection.”
Inter, who drew an entertaining clash with Napoli at the weekend, have won seven of their last eight leagues matches and are six ahead of both the reigning champions and second-placed AC Milan.
Local rivals Milan make the short trip to face high-flying Como on Thursday as the division’s leading trio play games in hand accrued by their participation in the Italian Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Bologna, who lost the Super Cup final to Napoli, are at Verona on Thursday in search of a first league win in seven matches.
Inter travel to Udinese at the weekend before welcoming Premier League leaders Arsenal to the San Siro for a huge Champions League fixture.
Chivu’s team lost their previous two Champions League matches and are at risk of dropping out of the top eight places which give direct qualification to the last 16.
Lecce meanwhile stay one place and three points above Serie A’s relegation zone after collecting just one point from their last five matches.
Napoli created little against Parma beyond a Scott McTominay goal which was disallowed for Pasquale Mazzocchi being offside earlier in the move.
A scrappy match at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona ended with injury-hit Napoli drawing a third straight match and being further off the title pace.
“We were a bit unlucky... we tried to create chances but Parma defended well,” said Cristian Stellini in place of suspended Antonio Conte.
“Some of our players have been out for a long time and we don’t know when they’ll be back.”
On Saturday Napoli host another also-ran in Sassuolo before travelling to FC Copenhagen for a match will be key to their prospects of reaching the Champions League play-offs.
td/nr/jc/nr
