Lautaro Martinez scores the decisive goal as Inter beat Udinese 1-0 to move six points clear at the top of Serie A and extend their unbeaten run.
Inter strengthened their grip on the Serie A title race with a 1-0 win away at Udinese. Lautaro Martinez scored the only goal at the Bluenergy Stadium. The result moved Inter six points clear at the summit. Second placed AC Milan were not in action until Sunday.
Cristian Chivu’s side approached the game with control and patience. They dominated possession early and limited Udinese’s threat. The victory extended Inter’s unbeaten league run to nine matches. It was another sign of growing maturity.
Inter began brightly and tested Udinese from the opening minutes. Martinez was denied early by goalkeeper Maduka Okoye after four minutes. Federico Dimarco then went close with a fierce volley that flashed wide. The pressure continued as Inter pinned the hosts back.
Udinese struggled to escape their own half. Francesco Pio Esposito dropped deep to link play. His movement created space between the lines. Inter’s intent was clear.
The decisive moment arrived in the 20th minute. Esposito produced a clever lay off inside the box. Martinez reacted quickly and prodded the ball into the bottom right corner. It was his 11th league goal of the season.
The strike rewarded Inter’s early dominance. Udinese attempted to respond but created little. Yann Sommer remained largely untroubled. Inter controlled the tempo until the break.
Inter had chances to double their lead before half time. Dimarco forced another sharp save from Okoye. Henrikh Mkhitaryan also threatened from distance. Despite their control, the second goal did not arrive.
After the break, Udinese pressed higher. A mistake from Thomas Kristensen gifted Inter an opening. Mkhitaryan’s effort was again saved by Okoye. That proved Udinese’s best escape.
Inter were less fluid in the second half and unable to create any clear-cut opportunities, but it mattered little for the Nerazzurri who remained organised. The visitors then focused on game management. Udinese were restricted to five shots all match.
Martinez led the line with authority and took his chance well. Esposito’s assist continued a strong partnership. At the back, Inter kept another clean sheet. Their defensive discipline stood out.
Inter registered 14 attempts and an expected goals figure of 1.56. Udinese finished with just 0.5 expected goals. It was Inter’s 16th win from 21 league games this season. On previous occasions, such returns led to the Scudetto.
They have now kept 11 league clean sheets. No side has managed more. Chivu praised his team’s focus and responsibility. The balance between attack and defence remains strong.
Inter now turn their attention to European action when the host Arsenal on Tuesday the Champions League. Their next league fixture will be against Pisa on 23rd January. They aim to maintain momentum at the top. Udinese face bottom place as they look to firmly establish themselves in the top half of the table. For Inter, this was a small but significant step.
