Inter beat Cagliari 3-0: The Scudetto is now very close for Cristian Chivu's team.

Inter Milan took a significant step forward in the race for the Scudetto this season after a convincing 3-0 victory over Cagliari in Serie A's 33rd round. The timely brilliance of their attacking stars in the second half helped Cristian Chivu's team maintain their absolute dominance at the top of the table.

The first half was deadlocked, and the Esposito brothers clashed.

The clash at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza featured an interesting detail: brothers Pio and Sebastiano Esposito faced each other on opposite sides of the pitch. Despite being considered far superior to their opponents, who were in the relegation zone, Inter endured a challenging first 45 minutes.

Cagliari started the match with a high-pressing strategy, causing many difficulties for the home team's ball distribution. In a first half where Inter's stars seemed quite ineffective, it was the visitors who had the clearest chances. Pio Esposito nearly caused his team to suffer a heartbreaking moment with a dangerous shot, but a superb reflex save from goalkeeper Caprile kept the home side's net intact.

The explosion in the second half

The turning point of the match came when coach Cristian Chivu's team began to increase the intensity of their attack right after halftime. In the 52nd minute, Federico Dimarco delivered a cross that completely bypassed the opposing defense, allowing Marcus Thuram to rush in and finish from close range, breaking the deadlock.

Thuram's goal relieved the psychological pressure on the Inter players. Just four minutes later, Nicolo Barella doubled the lead with a classy finish before finding the back of the net against his former team. The San Siro stands erupted in excitement as a comfortable lead was quickly established.

Zielinski's overwhelming statistics and impactful performance.

Inter's dominance was clearly demonstrated by the statistics. In the second half, Inter had eight shots on goal, while the defense, under the command of Stefan de Vrij, completely isolated Cagliari's attacking threats. The visitors finished the match with an extremely low expected goals (xG) of 0.42, a testament to their helplessness against the league leaders' defensive system.

The victory was sealed in the 90+2 minute thanks to a spectacular goal from substitute Piotr Zielinski. Following a perfect assist from Denzel Dumfries, the Polish midfielder executed a one-touch volley that nestled into the top corner of the net, capping off a perfect day for the home team.

The door to the championship is wide open.

With the three points earned, Inter extended their lead over their closest pursuers to 12 points. Given their current form, Cristian Chivu's team could very well clinch the championship in their next match at San Siro. Meanwhile, this defeat leaves Cagliari stuck in 16th place, only six points above the relegation zone and facing a difficult schedule ahead.

Match statistics