Inter 0-1 Roma: Serie A leaders stumble in race for the Scudetto

Inter opened the door to Napoli in the Serie A title race after the defending champions were beaten 1-0 at home by Roma on Sunday.

After bowing out of the Coppa Italia on Wednesday following a semi-final second-leg defeat to rivals AC Milan, Inter suffered a third loss in just seven days.

They will now turn their attentions to their Champions League semi-final first leg at Barcelona, but Simone Inzaghi’s team will be looking nervously over their shoulders.

The hosts started brightly in the contest and thought they had gone ahead when David Frattesi found the back of the net, but his strike was ruled out for offside.

Visiting goalkeeper Mile Svilar was then on hand to thwart Hakan Calhanoglu before Manu Kone fired Roma’s first attempt at Inter’s goal shortly after.

And it was Roma who struck first in the 22nd minute when Lorenzo Pellegrini’s shot deflected kindly into Matias Soule’s path, before stroking the ball past Yann Sommer.

Claudio Ranieri’s team almost doubled their advantage shortly after, but Bryan Cristante could only shoot wide after being picked out by Pellegrini’s cross into the box.

Inter pushed for an equaliser after the break, but lacked any cutting edge in the final third as Calhanoglu and Nicolo Barella fired wide of the mark.

Roma threatened to increase their one-goal advantage, though, but Niccolo Pissili’s first-time strike went narrowly wide before Artem Dovbyk forced a save from Sommer.

The visitors were able to hold on for the victory to move them up to eighth in the standings, and are now just two points adrift of the top four.

Inter, meanwhile, stay a point clear of Napoli, who have a game in hand, which comes against Torino later on Sunday.

Fischio finale

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Data Debrief: Roma roll on under Ranieri

Inter have lost three games in a row without scoring a goal in all competitions for the first time since five in a row in February 2012 (between Serie A and the Champions League), under now Roma boss Ranieri.

It was also the first time they had lost three games in a row in all competitions, last doing so under Luciano Spalletti in December 2017.

Roma, meanwhile, claimed their eighth 1-0 win in Serie A this season, more than any other team in Europe’s top five leagues this season.

They are now unbeaten in 18 consecutive games in a single Serie A season (W13, D5) for the first time since between November 2009 and April 2010, when they managed 24 with Ranieri at the helm.