MILAN: Mauro Icardi is a goal predator. Seemingly absent one moment, he swoops in unannounced to score in the next.

The Argentine striker had a hat-trick in Inter Milan’s 3-2 derby victory over big-spending AC Milan on Sunday, displaying perfect timing to redirect two crosses on 28 and 63 minutes, then calmly converting a penalty for the winner in the final minute in front of 80,000 spectators at the San Siro.

“He was magnificent,” Inter coach Luciano Spalletti said of Icardi, the Nerazzurri captain. “Because with all of the responsibility he carries, he remains humble, he listens to instructions, he helps his team-mates and then he runs 60 meters to go score. When he doesn’t stand still up front he can’t be marked. He’s a complete player.”

It was an entertaining Derby della Madonnina, with Spanish forward Suso (36) and Giacomo Bonaventura (81) twice putting Milan back on level terms but they were sent tail-spinning towards a crisis after defender Ricardo Rodriguez hauled down Danilo D’Ambrosio at a corner in an off-the-ball incident and Icardi converted his ninth league goal of the season.

“Scoring three goals in a derby is something special,” said Icardi. “The important thing is that Inter won. It’s too early to talk about a Scudetto challenge. We are doing things the right way from pre-season and now we have to think about the next match.”

Inter’s win kept them second and unbeaten in Serie A with 22 points from eight games, two behind leaders Napoli who have a 100 percent record and three ahead of six-time defending champions Juventus and Lazio. Next weekend, Inter visit Napoli.

Milan, on the other hand, have dropped to tenth after a third successive league defeat.— far below the level expected of a side who spent more than 200 million euros ($236.3 million) in the close season.

Angry Milan coach Vincenzo Montella disagreed with the penalty decision.

“Ricardo didn’t pull him down and D’Ambrosio has been very clever,” he said. “It makes me angry to lose like that. I hope we got a penalty like that in our next game. But I’m optimistic — for me, the glass is half full.”

Sampdoria came back from a goal down to beat visiting Atalanta 3-1 and move into sixth place on 14 points and lead Bologna, who overcame SPAL 2-1 in the first top flight derby between the pair for 50 years, on goal difference.

Torino lost ground on the Serie A leaders after a 2-2 draw at Crotone left them eighth with 13 points.

Fiorentina striker Cyril Thereau scored twice to give them a 2-1 win over his former club Udinese, Sassuolo and Chievo Verona drew 0-0 and Genoa beat Cagliari 3-2 for their first league win of the season.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2017