epa11837431 Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez celebrates after scoring the 1-0 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between FC Inter and Empoli FC, in Milan, Italy, 19 January 2025. EPA-EFE/MATTEO BAZZI
Inter needed a moment of Lautaro Martinez magic to break the deadlock, going on to beat Empoli 3-1 with Denzel Dumfries and Marcus Thuram also on target.
The Nerazzurri had a wobbly start to 2025, losing the Supercoppa Italiana to Milan after taking a 2-0 lead, then held 2-2 by Bologna in the rescheduled midweek Serie A fixture. Thuram and Francesco Acerbi were still not at 100 per cent, with Hakan Calhanoglu, Joaquin Correa and Yann Bisseck all injured and coach Simone Inzaghi sitting out a touchline ban. Empoli had one point from the previous five rounds and visited San Siro without Tino Anjorin, Pietro Pellegri, Ola Solbakken, Saba Sazonov, Tyronne Ebuehi and Nicolas Haas.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
Devis Vasquez returned in goal and made an immediate impact, as after 14 minutes he got down for a sensational one-handed save to deny Lautaro Martinez’s acrobatic bicycle-kick from close range.
Lautaro Martinez clipped the upright on the half-volley, although there might’ve been a handling offence as the Kristjan Asllani ball over the top bounced awkwardly.
Nicolò Barella thumped two right-foot volleys over from the edge of the area on a corner, while Alberto Grassi made a decisive interception to stop Denzel Dumfries pulling back for Asllani.
Asllani dribbled into the box and went down, but he had run into Mattia De Sciglio’s leg and the referee waved play on.
Inter struggled to find a breakthrough and needed a moment of magic, as Lautaro Martinez unleashed a sudden long-range right-foot curler that swerved and dipped into the far top corner, despite Vasquez getting some fingertips to it.
Another Lautaro Martinez attempt was too close to Vasquez, but Youssouf Maleh saw his finish deflected onto the side-netting after intercepting a wayward Yann Sommer pass.
Dumfries put the seal on the result with a towering header to nod down the Asllani corner into the ground, continuing his fine recent scoring form.
However, Empoli were not going to give in and Inter-owned striker Sebastiano Esposito got them back into it when he controlled a taut Liam Henderson cross, shook off Stefan de Vrij and drilled home from nine yards.
After Empoli wasted a free kick, Inter immediately punished them with a rapid turnaround, Marko Arnautovic springing the offside trap and generously rolling across for Marcus Thuram to score relatively undisturbed.
There was almost a fourth in stoppages, Carlos Augusto nodding the Barella cross wide of the back post.
Inter 3-1 Empoli
Lautaro Martinez 55 (I), Dumfries 79 (I), Esposito 84 (E), Thuram 89 (I)
1
28
85′ 32
77′ 6
30
2
21
23
7
69′ 10
78′ 99
69′ 23
34
3
83′ 13
83′ 22
66′ 21
5
73′ 10
66′ 93
11
29
15
16
13
17
40
42
53
49
22
69′ 9
69′ 95
77′ 8
78′ 36
85′ 1
12
35
31
90
41
99
66′ 2
66′ 6
73′ 27
83′ 7
83′
Image:Getty
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