The Japan Times - Inter stay top of Serie A after beating battling Atalanta

Lautaro Martinez netted the only goal of the game in Bergamo for Inter who lead Milan, 3-0 winners against Verona thanks to Christoper Nkunku's first Serie A goals, by a single point at the top of the division.

The Argentina striker's league-leading ninth goal of the campaign decided an engaging match which could have gone either way, with both teams having chances to break the deadlock before Martinez pounced.

Marcus Thuram and Charles De Ketelaere had goals ruled out for offside for each side while Nicolo Barella wasted a great chance to score for Inter just after Luis Henrique was denied by Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi.

But once Martinez rifled home with his left, after Berat Djimsiti sloppily gave away possession just outside his own penalty area, Atalanta had an uphill task to stop a second home defeat of the season.

It was an encouraging performance from Atalanta who have been a different team since Raffaele Palladino replaced Ivan Juric last month but sit 10th, fifth points away from the European positions.

Atalanta would have come away with a point had Lazar Samardzic not fallen over his own feet when presented with a glorious opportunity to level by De Ketelaere with three minutes remaining.

- Nkunku breaks duck -

Earlier at the San Siro, Nkunku doubled Milan's lead two minutes after half-time with a penalty he had earned, ending a league drought stretching back to February when he was playing for Chelsea in England.

Five minutes later he tapped home the third to ensure the hosts continued their unbeaten league run to 15 matches.

The 28-year-old's only previous goal for Milan since signing from Chelsea for an initial 37 million euros ($43.6 million) in August came against Lecce in the Italian Cup in September.

Milan were sent on their way to a comprehensive victory on the stroke of half-time by Christian Pulisic who continued his sensational form by scoring his eighth goal in 11 Serie A appearances.

Pulisic, who has lost around a month of this campaign to injury, has played a part in 50 goals in Serie A since arriving at Milan in 2023.

Verona, who had won their last two matches against Atalanta and Fiorentina, stay in the relegation zone, two points behind Genoa who sit just outside the bottom three and face Roma on Monday.

- Hojlund on a roll -

Hojlund took his all-competitions goal tally for Napoli to nine as the champions cruised to a 2-0 win at Cremonese and stayed two points behind Inter in third.

Fresh from winning the Italian Super Cup in Saudi Arabia, Napoli were the better team from the first whistle and were deservedly ahead in the 13th minute when Hojlund pounced on a deflection to net from close range.

And Hojlund was again in the right place at the right time seconds before the break when Alessio Zerbin could only divert Matteo Politano's cross straight to the Denmark striker, who calmly poked home.

Hojlund has scored six times in 12 Serie A appearances, two more than he managed in an entire Premier League campaign with Manchester United last season.

"I'm getting better every season," said Hojlund, who played in Italy for Atalanta before United.

Obviously when I was at Atalanta I was a bit younger and I've got a bit more experience now. I've played in the Premier League and in the Champions League and I'm playing with very good players now."

Bologna are seventh and without a win in four league matches after being held to a 1-1 draw by Sassuolo.

T.Sasaki--JT