Eto´o silences racist chants to send Inter joint top

Samuel Eto’o rammed the racist chants of his detractors back down their throats as he scored the only goal in Inter Milan’s 1-0 victory at Cagliari that sent them joint top of Serie A on Sunday.

The match in Sardinia was briefly held up after just three minutes as Eto’o suffered racist taunts from the home side’s ‘ultra’ fans.

Following a stadium announcement reminding those fans that the game could be abandoned if they continued, the match resumed with Eto’o proving the hero.

He even brushed off the chants by mimicking a monkey after scoring.

Inter are now level on points and goal difference with city rivals AC Milan, who beat Chievo 3-1 on Saturday, but actually trail them on goals scored.

However, Lazio can reclaim the summit if they win away to Bari in Sunday’s late match.

Cagliari had the first clear chance when Belgium international Radja Nainggolan teed up Andrea Cossu whose precise finish flashed wide.

Inter’s Brazilian full-back Maicon tried his luck from distance but also missed the far post.

Coutinho then cut in from the left and played a one-two with Eto’o before shooting too close to goalkeeper Michael Agazzi.

When the Inter breakthrough came it was thanks to Eto’o’s brilliance on 39 minutes.

Alessandro Agostini failed to clear his lines properly and the ball spun into the air off Wesley Sneijder.

Eto’o plucked the ball out of the air with a piece of sublime control with his right foot, then shifted onto his left, leaving Davide Astori bamboozled, and finished crisply inside the post.

To celebrate the Cameroon forward mocked those who had abused him by imitating a monkey.

Cagliari had a double chance to hit back five minutes after the restart but Nene took an age to shoot and when he did Julio Cesar parried, jumping up to then push Alessandro Matri’s follow-up around the post.

Up the other end, Agazzi dived to his left to tip over a curling Eto’o effort.

Inter had a let-off 14 minutes from time when Robert Acquafresca’s cross deflected off Cristian Chivu and came back off the bar, with Daniele Conti able only to prod the rebound into Julio Cesar’s grateful arms.

Conti had another chance to snatch a share of the spoils but when teed up by Cossu, he volleyed high over the bar.

Pato scored a brace and Robinho notched his first goal for AC Milan in their win on Saturday while AS Roma earned only their second success of the season as Marco Borriello netted in their 2-1 win over his former club Genoa.