Inter stunned by shock defeat at Spezia
This file photograph taken on April 18, 2021, shows then Inter Milan's Belgian forward Romelu Lukaku warming up prior to the Italian Serie A football match Napoli vs Inter at the Diego Maradona (San Paolo) stadium in Naples. Romelu Lukaku returned to Inter Milan on June 29, 2022, after completing a season-long loan move from Chelsea, just a year after his flop transfer from Italy to the Premier League club. (Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP) / NO USE AFTER JULY 29, 2022 18:40:36 GMT
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Inter Milan missed the chance to cut Napoli's huge lead at
the top of Serie A lead on Friday after suffering a shock 2-1 defeat to
relegation-threatened Spezia.
Goals from Daniel Maldini and M'Bala Nzola either side of a
Romelu Lukaku penalty handed fourth-from-bottom Spezia a crucial victory in
their bid to avoid the drop.
But the defeat was another bodyblow to Inter's faint hopes
of overhauling Napoli at the top of the table.
Napoli are now 15 points clear of second-placed Inter at the
top of the table and have played one game less.
Inter paid the price for failing to take the chances which
came their way, with Argentinian forward Lautaro Martinez having a penalty
saved by Spezia goalkeeper Bartlomiej Dragowski after 15 minutes.
Martinez did find the net early in the second half but
Lukaku was offside.
Spezia took the lead after 55 minutes when Maldini -- the
son of AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini -- swept home a low shot after good work
by Nzola down the right.
Inter got back on level terms with seven minutes remaining
however after Denzel Dumfries won a penalty and Lukaku converted.
Inter's joy was short-lived though, with Dumfries upending
Viktor Kovalenko at the other end four minutes later to concede a penalty.
Nzola converted coolly to give Spezia its first victory in
Serie A against Inter at the sixth attempt.
Inter's second consecutive away defeat means Napoli can go
18 points clear with a victory over sixth-placed Atalanta on Saturday.
Spezia stayed one spot above the relegation places but stretched their advantage of Verona, immediately below them to six points.


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