Spectacular Inter beat Lazio 5 - 2

A great win in emphatic fashion. Following their Coppa Italia elimination against Roma, Inter Women responded in the best possible manner, defeating Lazio 5-2 on Matchday 18 of Serie A Women. The Nerazzurre made an excellent start, taking the lead inside three minutes through Wullaert's coolly-converted penalty — her 13th league goal of the season — before doubling and trebling their advantage within the opening section of the first half, with Magull and Detruyer striking within two minutes of each other. Lazio came roaring back at the start of the second half, pulling two goals back through a pair of stunning efforts from Le Bihan and Oliviero, but their momentum gradually faded. Inter reasserted control in the closing stages, with Tomaselli and Glionna putting the result beyond doubt to seal a 5-2 win. The Nerazzurre still remain in pursuit of league leaders Roma, who sit six points clear at the top.

The match changed shape after barely a minute: Detruyer crossed from the right, only for the ball to strike the arm of Baltrip Reyes in the area. The referee pointed to the spot, and Wullaert was clinical from twelve yards. The Belgian striker moved on to 13 league goals for the season and gave Inter the perfect start to the match. Lazio, however, fought to overturn the setback, pressing immediately for an equaliser. After five minutes, Merlo got ahead of Simonetti to meet a dangerous Cafferata cross, and her header threatened to catch Runarsdottir off guard before the goalkeeper reacted smartly to divert it round the post. The visitors continued to attack: Visentin fired her effort straight at Andrés, Monnecchi shot high, and Piemonte sent a header over the bar. The game moved on at a lively tempo. In the 14th minute, Wullaert tried to volley from the centre of the area but failed to trouble the goalkeeper, missing a fine opportunity to double the lead. Lazio kept pressing into Inter's half and a dangerous Oliviero cross-shot was tipped away by Runarsdottir, before Bartoli was required to make consecutive saves to deny Monnecchi and Visentin. In the 24th minute, though, Inter found their second. A neat team move ended with Bugeja slipping the ball through to Magull inside the area. The German midfielder took a touch to set herself and struck a magnificent right-foot effort into the top corner: 2-0 to Piovani's side. Before the celebrations had barely subsided, Inter made it three in the 26th minute. A flowing attacking move released Merlo in behind down the wing, and her cross found Detruyer perfectly positioned at the centre of the area to beat Durante: 3-0. The two goals in quick succession hit Lazio hard, and though they retained reasonable possession, they managed little in the way of genuine threats from then on — the closest they came before the break was Piemonte's header from Oliviero's cross in the 45th minute.

The second half opened in an entirely different vein. Lazio threw themselves forward in search of a way back into the game, giving Inter little time or space to build. After just 5 minutes, Bartoli had to produce an excellent block to deny Piemonte after the forward had controlled and turned sharply inside the area. Two minutes later, Lazio got off the mark: Le Bihan struck with real precision from outside the area, giving Runarsdottir no chance and making it 3-1. Emboldened, Lazio pressed across the pitch, and in the 57th minute they pulled another back with a moment of individual brilliance from Oliviero, who curled an outside-of-the-foot effort into the net from distance and a wide angle. The momentum had shifted entirely, with Lazio beginning to believe in what had seemed an impossible comeback. Piovani responded, bringing on Tomaselli, Glionna and Santi to steady the ship. The visitors continued to threaten, and in the 66th minute, Le Bihan got to an Oliviero cross ahead of Piemonte, who was free at the far post. A minute later Inter looked to offer their own attacking threat, with Schough driving forward and delivering a cross from the left for Wullaert, though a deflection from a Lazio defender put the Belgian striker off her stride. From there, Inter gradually regained their composure and Lazio — having pushed so hard in that second-half push — began to run out of steam. Piemonte's attempt in the 76th minute, snuffed out by the combined intervention of Santi and Schough, proved to be their last meaningful chance. In the 80th, Detruyer's pressing forced an awkward ricochet just outside the area, and the ball fell to Tomaselli, who struck cleanly to make it 4-2. The goal appeared to settle the game, even after an 86th-minute shoulder injury to Santi left Inter to see out the remainder of the contest and a lengthy period of stoppage time with ten players. They managed it with a flourish: in the 91st minute, Glionna beat Oliviero with a fine piece of skill and delivered a cross that clipped the post and bounced into the net, leaving Durante helpless. 5-2, and the job was done. Inter matched Roma's league win over Como Women, but remain six points adrift of the table leaders.

INTER 5-2 LAZIO | MATCH DETAILS

Goals: 3' pen. Wullaert (I), 24' Magull (I), 26' Detruyer (I), 52' Le Bihan (L), 57' Oliviero (L), 80' Tomaselli (I), 90+1' Glionna (I)

INTER (3-5-2): 1 Rúnarsdottir; 33 Bartoli, 24 Milinkovic, 5 Andrés; 13 Merlo (3 Bowen 71'), 20 Detruyer, 10 Magull (6 Santi 64'), 8 Vilhjalmsdottir (21 Tomaselli 64'), 22 Schough; 31 Wullaert (18 Glionna 84'), 7 Bugeja (9 Polli 64'). Substitutes: 23 Ivarsdottir, 34 Ferraro, 14 Robustellini, 16 Tomasevic, 19 Paz, 27 Csiszar, 44 Consolini. Coach: Gianpiero Piovani

LAZIO (4-3-1-2): 28 Durante; 77 Cafferata (14 Zanoli 72'), 2 Baltrip-Reyes, 7 Connolly, 13 Oliviero; 17 Monnecchi (8 Martin Queralt 72'), 10 Benoit (6 Mesjasz 72'), 20 Simonetti; 11 Le Bihan; 99 Visentin (9 Karczewska 72'), 18 Piemonte. Substitutes: 1 Karresmaa, 42 Bacic, 4 Mancuso, 5 Cesarini, 16 Castiello, 25 Goldoni, 27 Dauria, 30 Mancini. Coach: Gianluca Grassadonia

Bookings: Milinkovic (I), Rúnarsdottir (I)

Added time: 1' - 6'

Referee: Palmieri Assistants: Li Vigni, Daghetta Fourth official: El Hamil