Inter stroll to win, go eight clear

Inter Milan got back to winning ways in Serie A on Saturday with a convincing 3-1 win over Bologna at the Dall’Ara stadium extending their lead at the top to eight points ahead of Sunday’s games.

The Italian champions’ 10th win from 13 games this season will undoubtedly instill confidence ahead of their important Champions League match at Barcelona on Tuesday.

Diego Milito scored his eighth goal of the campaign to give Inter the lead midway through the first half, and despite an immediate equaliser from Marcelo Zalayeta, the Nerazzurri regained the lead four minutes before the break through Mario Balotelli.

With 18 minutes left, Esteban Cambiasso’s low strike wrapped up a comfortable win spoiled only by the stoppage-time sending off of Maicon for dissent.

Looking fresh after the two-week break, Inter quickly forced the home side onto the back foot.

Emiliano Viviano was called into action early, pushing aside with some difficulty a weak Cristian Chivu strike before more confidently plucking out the air a Thiago Motta header.

Resistance did not last long though. A Maicon corner in the 22nd minute produced panic in the Bologna box, and Milito, latching onto a downward Lucio header, was allowed time to turn and rifle home from six yards.

It looked ominous for Bologna but right from the kick off they equalised with their first attack.

Martins Adailton’s fine left-foot chipped the ball over the Inter defence for Zalayeta, who showed composure to bring the ball down before firing into the top corner as Julio Cesar rushed out.

For a time the game became stretched but the leaders soon regained the initiative with Motta increasingly influential.

On the half hour he slipped in Mario Balotelli with a slide-rule pass but the Italian, starting ahead of Samuel Eto’o, delayed his shot allowing Viviano to save.

Six minutes later the Brazilian midfielder played in Dejan Stankovic, whose left-foot finish hit the far post, ran across the goalline and struck the other post before Viviano jumped on the ball ahead of the lurking Cambiasso.

After the near misses, Bologna then conceded to a soft goal on 41min.

Buying half a yard in a packed six-yard box with a step backwards, Balotelli applied the simplest of headers to a left-wing corner to give Inter the lead.

Bologna began the second half in more aggressive fashion but the chances all fell to Inter. On 57min, Eto’o beat his man and squared to Milito but the striker’s 10-yard blast was too close to Viviano who parried spectacularly.

The keeper then saved from Stankovic on 64min but was beaten for a third time on 72min as Jose Mourinho’s men made the game safe. A goal made in Argentina, the excellent Cambiasso released Milito before running on to his compatriot’s cross to drill home left-footed.