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Icardi brace sends Inter Milan top of the table

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Milan: Argentina striker Mauro Icardi bagged another brace to send Inter Milan top of Serie A on Saturday with a 3-1 win at Cagliari.


In-form skipper Icardi opened Inter’s account after 29 minutes in Sardinia, before adding a second seven minutes from time to bring his tally to 15 goals this season. Inter’s Croatian midfielder Marcelo Brozovic came off the bench and immediately found the net on 55 minutes, with Leonardo Pavoletti reducing the deficit for Cagliari 19 minutes from time.


Luciano Spalletti’s side remain unbeaten 14 games into the season with 36 points, putting them one point ahead of Napoli who travel to Udinese on Sunday, and five ahead of champions Juventus who host Crotone. Despite Icardi’s heroics, Inter could also thank goalkeeper Samir Handanovic for their victory after he pulled off some key saves, notably from Pavoletti.


After a charging start by Cagliari kept Handanovic busy in the first half-hour, Icardi latched onto an Ivan Perisic cross to open the scoring.


The 24-year-old almost got a second in the first half but was just off target from a Matias Vecino cross, with Davide Santon also firing wide.


Icardi’s second put him joint top of the Serie A scorers chart alongside Lazio’s Ciro Immobile.


Earlier, Sampdoria came crashing back to earth after their shock win over champions Juventus last weekend with a 3-0 defeat at ten-man Bologna.— AFP


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