MILAN: A goal from Lautaro Martinez was enough to earn Inter Milan a 1-0 win over Genoa at the Stadio Meazza in San Siro and go provisionally top of the table.

The win moved Inter to 57 points, one ahead of Napoli who are away to Como on Sunday, while Genoa are 12th on 30 points.

Inter came into the game on the back of a disappointing run, with one win in their last four matches and, with a top-of-the-table clash with Napoli coming up in a week’s time, were badly in need of a confidence boost.

The hosts laid siege to the Genoa half in the opening 10 minutes without ever really creating a clear-cut chance.

Inter could find no way through, their every foray into the Genoa area blocked by a determined and disciplined defence and neither keeper was troubled in an opening half short on entertainment.

Joaquin Correa, making just his second start of the campaign, limped off at the break forcing Inter into a change, with Mehdi Taremi coming on for the second half.

Inter were already without the injured Marcus Thuram and were sorely missing their top scorer in the league this season.

The first chance after the break fell to Inter’s Denzel Dumfries but he blasted his shot wildly over the bar, while Genoa preferred a calmer approach, biding their time for the chance to counter.

After more than an hour played without a shot on target, Inter were then denied twice, with Mattia Bani clearing off the line from a corner before Genoa keeper Nicola Leali parried away Taremi’s effort.

Nicolo Barella thundered a shot off the crossbar as Inter piled on the pressure but it was Genoa who came nearest next with a close-range header from Caleb Ekuban blocked down by keeper Josep Martinez.

Martinez was making his league debut for Inter, with Yann Sommer out injured, having spent the last two seasons guarding the Genoa goal.

Minutes later Inter had a corner at the other end and a glancing header from Martinez took a deflection off Genoa midfielder Patrizio Masini to squirm past Leali and into the net with 12 minutes remaining.

Atletico, too

Atletico Madrid took provisional top spot in LaLiga with a comfortable 3-0 away win at a toothless Valencia thanks to a first-half double by Julian Alvarez and a late strike by substitute Angel Correa.

Former Manchester City forward Alvarez struck a rebound in the 12th minute to open the scoring and headed home an Antoine Griezmann cross in the 30th to extend Atletico’s lead.

Atletico took their foot off the pedal after the break but managed to score the third goal through Correa in a quick counter-attack in the 86th minute.

Atletico top the LaLiga standings on 53 points, two ahead of Barcelona and Real Madrid, both with a game in hand. Barca are second on goal difference and will visit lowly Las Palmas later on Saturday while third-placed Real will host Girona on Sunday.

Struggling Valencia are third from the bottom on 23 points.

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