Inter sink Torino 3-0 to top Serie A standings
Oct 21 (Reuters) - Goals from Marcus Thuram, Lautaro Martinez and a penalty by Hakan Calhanoglu gave Inter Milan a 3-0 win at Torino on Saturday, returning them provisionally to the top of the Serie A standings.
Simone Inzaghi's team had lost top spot before the international break following a 2-2 draw against Bologna.
Inter lead the table with 22 points, one ahead of AC Milan who host Juventus on Sunday. Torino are in 14th place with nine points.
Inzaghi admitted his team had struggled to establish dominance.
"As is often the case, games change in the final half-hour. With five substitutions, we coaches have to make the most of those situations," Inzaghi told DAZN.
"We had a good start, then lowered the intensity and lost our shape a little against a tough opponent.
"It was a match I was really concerned about, but I thank the players for dealing with it in the best way."
The visitors struggled in the first half and had goalkeeper Yann Sommer to thank as the home crowd roared Torino on.
However, Torino's spirits were dampened as defender Perr Schuurs had to be carried off early in the second half, compounding their injury problems.
Thuram opened the scoring just before the hour mark as Denzel Dumfries delivered a cleverly disguised pass, allowing an unmarked Thuram to slot the ball into the far corner with his first touch.
Eight minutes later, Martinez extended the lead by heading in a deflected corner from close range, marking his 11th league goal this season.
Calhanoglu scored a third from the penalty spot in stoppage time following a foul by Ivan Ilic on Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Inter host RB Salzburg in the Champions League group stage on Tuesday before AS Roma visit on Oct. 29.
"Right now I am thinking about this game and the Champions League with RB Salzburg, as that is a very important match against a young, dangerous side," Inzaghi said.
Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Ed Osmond
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