MILAN: A first-half header by striker Lautaro Martinez gave Inter Milan a 1-0 derby victory over crumbling champions AC Milan at a sold-out San Siro on Sunday but his team stayed 13 points behind Serie A leaders Napoli who strolled to a 3-0 win at Spezia.

Argentina forward Martinez nodded in a corner from close range for his 12th league goal of the season in the 34th minute to make sure that Inter remained in second place on 43 points and condemned Stefano Pioli’s side to their third consecutive loss in Serie A.

Martinez has been given the captaincy as Milan Skriniar wants to leave for Paris St Germain as a free agent in the summer.

“Wearing the armband makes me very proud,” he told DAZN. “Ever since coming to Inter, I have tried to give my best, and this is a special game. We did it again.”

Milan, who have now lost four games in a row in all competitions, dropped to sixth, on 38 points.

Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia were again the stars of the show for Napoli as they came through at Spezia to briefly extend their advantage to 16 points.

Wing wizard Kvaratskhelia put Napoli ahead from the penalty spot two minutes after the break on the Italian Riviera before Osimhen netted twice, taking his league tally to 16.

Nigeria forward Osimhen pounced on a defensive error to double Napoli’s lead in the 68th minute and five minutes later rolled home an easy finish after Mattia Caldara passed straight to Kvaratskhelia on the edge of his own area.

“All the victories are important, we need to keep the momentum and try to win all games,” said Osimhen to Sky in Italy. “It is not going to be easy of course, Serie A is a very competitive league and we have to be on top of our game. We go back, we prepare for the next game, that is the most important thing.”

Spezia remained 17th, hovering five points above the relegation zone.

Earlier on Sunday, Torino beat Udinese 1-0 to overtake them in the standings and move to seventh on 30 points. Bologna, in ninth, beat 12th-placed Fiorentina 2-1.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2023