We’re half way through the second round of the 2022/23 Serie A and there’s been a perfect start for Inter Milan and Napoli, who have both won their opening two games to set a challenge for their title rivals.
Martinez is happy to welcome Lukaku back to Milan
Inter followed up an opening day victory over Lecce with a 3-0 victory over Spezia, a score-line which was fully deserved as Inter dominated from start to finish.
With 19 shots to Spezia’s two and eight to nil on target I Nerazzurri looked every bit the title contenders though they will have more difficult opponents in the weeks to come. But the renewed partnership of Lautaro Martinez and Romelu Lukaku, which was the prominent feature of Inter’s 2021 Scudetto triumph, is already showing signs that it could be just as lethal this season.
Lukaku scored in the opener against Lecce after just two minutes while the 24 year old Martinez provided the assist for Denzel Dumfries’ winner, and on Saturday Lukaku teed up his partner for the opener. Inter were on top from the off and it was no surprise when Martinez rifled in the opener after collecting a clever knock down from Lukaku on 35 minutes. And then the Belgian striker almost got on the score sheet again, but his powerful header crashed back off the crossbar as Inter went into the half time break with a goal lead.
Hakan Calhanoglu calmly slotted home the second, early in the second half, and Joaquin Correa made it a comprehensive win on 82 minutes, passing the ball into an empty net as Edin Dzeko’s cross went clean past the Spezia keeper.
The pre-season Serie A 2022 betting odds suggest Inter will have tough competition from Juventus and 2022 Scudetto winners AC Milan, but after two games it’s so far so good for Simone Inzaghi’s boys.
Napoli are worth watching
While the doom mongers pointed to the departure of Lorenzo Insigne, Kalidou Koulibaly and Dries Mertens as a reason to write Napoli off, head coach Luciano Spalletti has certainly not panicked and his team has also picked up six points without too much trouble, following up a 5-2 destruction of Verona in their opener with a 4-0 thrashing of Monza.
Star striker Victor Osimhen has scored in both games as has new boy Khvicha Kvaratskhelia who followed up his debut goal against Verona with a double against Monza. The 21 year old hammered a screamer into the top corner to open the scoring and added a well taken second after half time. And, by the way, Nigerian goal machine Osimhen was on target with another clinical finish. Kim Min-Jae headed in a Piotr Zielenski corner to round off another great day for Gli Azzurri.
The Serie A odds reckoned Roma could take the fourth place this year but Napoli, who started last season by winning 11 of the first 12 games, have made another explosive start and they might well be in the frame at the end of this season.
After another thumping win Napoli went ahead of Inter Milan on goal difference, but Fiorentina missed a chance to join them on six points after failing to win at Empoli in a game which ended 0-0.
No spark for big city underdogs
Torino and Lazio are often in the shadows of their city rivals, Juventus and Roma, and the clash at the Stadio Olimpico di Torino on Saturday gave them both a chance to make it two wins from two and put down a marker, but neither took the chance as they played out a dull 0-0 draw.
We previewed this match here at SBOTOP and fancied Ciro Immobile to get on the score-sheet but the 2022 Capocannoniere winner had a frustrating afternoon, culminating in yellow cards for the Lazio skipper and his midfield general Sergej Milinkovic-Savic after the final whistle. There were only three shots on target in the whole game as both teams misfired. Samuele Ricci had Torino’s one effort, a shot from distance easily saved, while Immobile and Adam Marusic had Lazio’s two attempts, neither of which seriously troubled the Torino stopper.
The most exciting stats were that Lazio edged the fouls committed by 12 to 11, while picking up five yellow cards to Torino’s nil!
With Milan facing Atalanta on Sunday night and Juventus and Roma playing on Monday, there could be three more title hopefuls on six points by the close on Monday night.
But for now, with two rounds of Serie A 2022 results already in, Inter and Napoli are faultless.
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