The Japan Times - Inter beat Torino and downpour to move level with Napoli

Sunday's match was barely underway when it was stopped as aid was rushed to the Torino supporter, who Italian media say is not seriously hurt from his fall from the Curva Maratona section of the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino.

Nicola Zalewski and Kristjan Asllani scored early in each half to push Inter level on 77 points with league leaders Napoli, who host Genoa later.

Inter claimed just their second away win in eight Serie A matches, but they could have done without more drama after coming through their epic Champions League semi-final with Barcelona on Tuesday.

An attritional match which Inter started with nine changes from their stunning extra-time triumph over Barca went in the away side's favour in the 14th minute when Zalewski span and curled home his first goal for the champions.

The game was stopped a minute from half-time as persistent rain became a biblical downpour which left the pitch in Turin unplayable.

And even though the first half was completed following a short pause, the two teams then remained in the dressing rooms for over half an hour as the rain continued to pour.

Once back out, Asllani almost immediately doubled Inter's lead with his second penalty in as many weeks, after Mehdi Taremi was brought down by Torino goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic.

That goal was enough for Inter to claim the points and hand mid-table Torino a first home defeat of 2025.

Leaders Napoli, however, need seven points from their final three games against Genoa, Parma and Cagliari in order to win a second Scudetto in three seasons.

Earlier, Verona inched towards safety from relegation with a 1-1 home draw with fellow strugglers Lecce which moved Paolo Zanetti's team five points above the drop zone with two matches left to play.

K.Hashimoto--JT