Inter moved up to third place in the Serie A standings after a straight-forward victory over lowly Pescara at the San Siro last night.
Argentine striker Rodrigo Palacio was the protagonist of Inter’s victory after putting his team ahead on the half hour before creating the second early in the second half.
Having just picked one point from their last three matches, coach Andrea Stramaccioni reshuffled his pack. Diego Milito, Walter Gargano, Gaby Mudingayi and MacDonald Mariga were only fit for the bench, so 18-year-old Marco Benassi was given his Serie A debut as he started in midfield.
Palacio gave Inter the lead on 30 minutes when the Argentine controlled the ball on the edge of the area and hit a curling low drive that gave no chance to Pescara goalkeeper Mattia Perin.
After the interval, the Nerazzurri kept up the upperhand and added a second goal on 53 minutes.
Palacio was again at the heart of the move as the Argentine did well to turn past his marker before squaring the ball into the path of Freddie Guarin who had little difficulty in firing into the net.
Bologna eased their relegation worries after two goals from Alberto Gilardino, his first in nearly two months, led them to a 4-0 victory over Chievo in yesterday’s early kick-off.
Panagiotis Kone and Manolo Gabbiadini also found the net to lift Stefano Pioli’s side to 13th in the table on 21 points, five clear of the relegation zone. Chievo stay in 11th spot.
Kone’s third goal of the season, a powerful header from the penalty spot after he lost his marker at a 13th minute corner, gave Bologna the lead their dominance deserved.
Chievo responded well, forcing Gyorgy Garics to head against his own post with 24 minutes gone.
Gilardino, though, doubled the hosts’ lead with his first goal in seven games a minute before the break, ending a quick break by clipping Chievo keeper Stefano Sorrentino.
Gilardino made it eight goals so far this season in the 59th minute when tapping home from close in.
Gabbiadini completed the rout with a minute to go.
Serie A
Bologna 4
Kone 13; Gilardino 44, 59; Gabbiadini 89;
Chievo 0
HT: 2-0. Att: 20,155.
Inter 2
Palacio 30; Guarin 54;
Pescara 0
HT: 1-0. Att: 39,118.
Playing today
Cagliari vs Genoa
Catania vs Roma
Lazio vs Atalanta
Napoli vs Palermo
Parma vs Juventus
Sampdoria vs Milan - 20.45
Torino vs Siena - 12.30
Udinese vs Fiorentina
Standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Juventus | 19 | 14 | 2 | 3 | 40 | 13 | 44 |
| Lazio | 19 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 28 | 19 | 39 |
| Inter | 20 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 32 | 22 | 38 |
| Napoli (-2) | 19 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 37 | 18 | 37 |
| Fiorentina | 19 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 36 | 21 | 35 |
| Roma | 19 | 10 | 2 | 7 | 43 | 33 | 32 |
| Milan | 19 | 9 | 3 | 7 | 36 | 27 | 30 |
| Parma | 19 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 27 | 25 | 29 |
| Udinese | 19 | 6 | 9 | 4 | 29 | 26 | 27 |
| Catania | 19 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 26 | 27 | 26 |
| Chievo | 20 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 21 | 33 | 24 |
| Atalanta (-2) | 19 | 7 | 3 | 9 | 18 | 28 | 22 |
| Bologna | 20 | 6 | 3 | 11 | 25 | 26 | 21 |
| Torino (-1) | 19 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 20 | 22 | 20 |
| Sampdoria (-1) | 19 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 22 | 28 | 20 |
| Pescara | 20 | 6 | 2 | 12 | 17 | 37 | 20 |
| Genoa | 19 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 17 |
| Cagliari | 19 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 17 | 35 | 16 |
| Palermo | 19 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 29 | 15 |
| Siena (-6) | 19 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 17 | 28 | 11 |
Next fixtures
Tuesday: Coppa Italia QF 21.00 Inter vs Bologna.
Wednesday: Coppa Italia QF 21.00 Fiorentina vs Roma.
Saturday: 18.00 Palermo vs Lazio. 20.45 Juventus vs Udinese.
Sunday: 12.30 Fiorentina vs Napoli. 15.00 Atalanta vs Cagliari; Chievo vs Parma; Genoa vs Catania; Milan vs Bologna; Pescara vs Torino; Siena vs Sampdoria. 20.45 Roma vs Inter.