Inter Milan consolidated their position at the summit of the Serie A table with a thoroughly emphatic 4-0 victory over an error-strewn Udinese side.
Mauro Icardi opened the scoring on 22 minutes when he profited from a Bruno Fernandes error before Stefan Jovetic added a second on the half hour mark.
Udinese showed promise throughout and were, for periods either side of the interval, the superior side. But they were complacent when it mattered and, during the dying embers, were ruefully punished when Icardi added his second -- and fifth of the season -- and Marcelo Brozovic curled beyond Orestis Karnezis.
Visitors exploit complacency
Lethargy characterised the opening exchanges, though Roberto Mancini would have taken encouragement from Stefan Jovetic’s early chance. Adem Ljajic, scorer of Inter’s solitary goal in their win over Genoa last time out, threaded a sumptuous pass through to Ivan Perisic before the Croat found Jovetic in space. His effort was expertly foiled by the legs of Orestis Karnezis.
Udinese responded with an opportunity of their own when Antonio Di Natale ghosted in-behind the Inter rearguard and was heroically thwarted by a covering Jeison Murillo. Cyril Thereau, minutes later, prompted a fine stop from Samir Handanovic.
Martin Montaya then exchanged passes with Felipe Melo on 17 minutes but the Brazilian’s return was agonisingly overhit.
The hosts were going toe-to-toe with the leaders, however, with Di Natale, profiting from Davide Massa’s decision to award a free-kick against Ljajic on the edge of the area, clipping the outside of the post.
Mistakes littered the away side’s opener minutes later as Mauro Icardi, restored to the line-up at the expense of Rodrigo Palacio, netted his fourth of the campaign. After Bruno Fernandes’ stray back pass to Maurico Domizzi was pilfered by the Argentine, he raced away and, with only Karnezis to beat, struck an admittedly tame effort into the far corner.
Thereau and Di Natale dovetailed mesmerically to fashion a shot at goal on 28 minutes as Udinese, despite the scoreline inferiority, cranked up the pressure.
But Domizzi was proving his own worst enemy as the centre-back, under little duress inside his own half, was dispossessed by Jovetic. The forward, akin to Icardi’s opener earlier in the half, raced through and dinked a cute effort over the advancing Karnezis.
Silvan Widmer could have offered the most jarring of replies when he manufactured space inside the danger area but shot straight down the throat of Handanovic.
Montaya, deputising for the suspended Daniele D’Ambrosio, was presented with the opportunity to extend his side’s advantage when he was liberated in space by Jovetic. But his final ball was lacking.
Inter press home advantage
Goals have been at a premium for the hosts this campaign and their luck — or lack thereof — was emphasised when Thereau deflected an attempt beyond Handanovic but the linesman rose his flag to curtail the forward’s fleeting jubilation.
Widmer’s cross eluded an outstretched Di Natale on 54 minutes as the Zebrette tried to reduce the arrears.
Edenilson then, minutes later, flashed over on the half-volley after the ball fell invitingly for the wing-back.
The visitors were playing predominantly on the counter-attack as Udinese committed more bodies forward and, on the hour mark, were almost rewarded.
Jovetic broke swiftly down the right and lofted an unerring centre into Icardi. Deftly, the forward nodded down to an advancing Ljajic but the winger could not bring the ball under control.
Handanovic, flawless on the evening, was almost culpable on 69 minutes when he parried Widmer’s low driven cross into the path of Iturra who, inexplicably, lashed his effort wide.
Murillo then dabbled his hand in attack when he strode forward and lashed a rasping effort straight at Karnezis’s goal.
As the game crept into its autumn, Inter grabbed a third. Characterised by yet another error, Francesco Lodi’s errant backpass was latched onto by a foraging Icardi who, without allowing time for Karnezis to arrange his feet, rifled an effort into the roof of the net.
A fourth arrived two minutes later when Marcelo Brozovic collected possession in acres of space on the left and curled an unerring effort into the far corner.