Inter stretch Serie A lead to 13 points with 2-0 win over Genoa

Inter Milan moved 13 points clear at the top of Serie A with a comfortable 2-0 home win over lowly Genoa thanks to goals from Federico Dimarco and Hakan Calhanoglu on Saturday.

Inter have ⁠67 points from 27 games ⁠ahead of second-placed AC Milan, who visit relegation-threatened Cremonese on Sunday.

The hosts took the lead with Dimarco's sublime volley into the far corner from a tight angle on the ⁠left after a clever lofted pass from Henrikh Mkhitaryan just past the half-hour.

Calhanoglu wrapped up the points in the 70th minute with a precise penalty after a handball by Genoa's halftime substitute Alexsandro Amorim to give in-form Inter their eighth consecutive Serie A win and 14th victory from their last 15 league games.

Genoa did have a chance in the dying moments of stoppage time when Alex Amorim set up Leo Ostigard but his shot from outside the box ⁠was ⁠comfortably saved by Yann Sommer.

The result was a welcome boost for Inter following their 5-2 aggregate loss to unfancied Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League playoffs on Tuesday.

"It's never easy to bounce back after a defeat, but every time Inter have lost a match they've always shown unity and come back stronger than before. We saw that again today," Dimarco told Sky Sport Italia.

"We ⁠had a few difficult moments because we were feeling the fatigue from the match against Bodo. That's fine, we have to keep going because there's not long to go now," the 28-year-old winger added.

However Cristian Chivu's men appear to have channelled their European disappointment into further domestic dominance, as they now focus fully on securing the Serie A crown.

The league ⁠leaders ‌will look ‌to extend their winning streak next weekend when ⁠they face Milan, who need to beat ‌Cremonese to boost their slim chance of catching the Nerazzurri.

"The advantage in the standings can help," Sommer said. "We're ⁠in a good position in the standings now, ⁠but there are still 11 games to go. The derby will ⁠be important... We want to win this time," he added after Milan won 1-0 in November.