epa11969146 Inters Carlos Augusto (R) scores the 0-1 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Atalanta BC and FC Internazionale, in Bergamo, Italy, 16 March 2025. EPA-EFE/MICHELE MARAVIGLIA
Inter take a three-point lead at the top of the table, as Carlos Augusto’s free header and Lautaro Martinez seal victory away to 10-man Atalanta in this Scudetto showdown.
This was a huge head-to-head with only three points separating them and Napoli held 0-0 by Venezia earlier in the day. Coming off a 4-0 victory away to Juventus, La Dea missed Juan Cuadrado, Stefan Posch, Odilon Kossounou, Ibrahim Sulemana, Giorgio Scalvini and Gianluca Scamacca. Fresh from Tuesday’s Champions League win over Feyenoord, the Nerazzurri were without Federico Dimarco, Matteo Darmian, Nicola Zalewski, Piotr Zielinski and Stefan de Vrij.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
Atalanta continue to have a dismal record against Inter, losing their last eight competitive meetings now, without a victory since a 4-1 result in Bergamo in November 2018.
Marcus Thuram thought he had scored after seven minutes when sent clear by Lautaro Martinez, his finish beating the on-rushing Marco Carnesecchi only to bounce off the inside of the far post and roll back out of an empty net.
Mario Pasalic’s looping header on a Marten de Roon cross was arrowing its way under the bar until an acrobatic Yann Sommer fingertip save to push it over.
Ederson blasted wide, while Ademola Lookman should’ve done better with his finish wide from the edge of the area after nutmegging Benjamin Pavard.
There was a pause in play for six minutes straight after the restart for a medical emergency in the stands, but it resumed with the Hakan Calhanoglu corner, finding a Carlos Augusto free header from six yards to open the scoring.
THE CHAMPIONS IN FRONT 🔥
A superb header from Carlos Augusto 💪
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/rk9vibLG3C
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 16, 2025
Lookman and Ederson had efforts charged down, while Calhanoglu stung Carnesecchi’s gloves and Denzel Dumfries went off with a muscular issue.
Lautaro Martinez had the ball in the net on 71 minutes, but the whistle had already blown for his push on Berat Djimsiti after a Nicolò Barella volley was blocked by defensive bodies.
Francesco Acerbi won a crucial tackle with Lazar Samardzic in the penalty area, but Ederson got himself sent off for dissent.
The midfielder had tracked back to help his defenders on Thuram, felt he was fouled and was booked for the complaint, then very clearly sarcastically applauded the referee for an immediate second yellow card.
ATALANTA DOWN TO 10 MEN 🟥
Ederson is sent off for the home side as their night goes from bad to worse 😯
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/xPpb20ZlRn
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 16, 2025
Yann Bisseck could’ve scored for 2-0 only to shin the volley from a Carlos Augusto cross, but the goal did come when Barella’s slide-rule pass allowed Lautaro Martinez to spring the offside trap, the sheer ferocity of the angled drive bending back Carnesecchi’s gloves.
LAUTARO MARTINEZ POWER FINISH 🔥
Inter double their lead and how important could that goal be in their chase after the Scudetto 🙌
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/8pDIjOrII2
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 16, 2025
Gian Piero Gasperini was also sent off for dissent and Carnesecchi prevented the third with a desperate reaction save one-on-one with Davide Frattesi.
There were 11 minutes of added time, largely for that medical emergency in the stands, during which Inter also went down to 10 men for a second Bastoni yellow card.
Davide Zappacosta also blasted over from a difficult angle after a series of stepovers.
Atalanta 0-2 Inter
Carlos Augusto 54 (I), Lautaro Martinez 87 (I)
Sent off: Ederson 81 (A), Bastoni 95 (I)
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