Nicolo Barella scored a brilliant first-half goal as Inter Milan earned a comfortable 3-1 home win over Cremonese in their fourth Serie A match of the season on Tuesday.
Joaquin Correa slotted home to open the scoring in the 12th minute from a rebound after Cremonese keeper Ionut Radu saved an Edin Dzeko effort.
Barella doubled the lead in the 38th minute after the Italy international stunned the Cremonese defence by firing home from long distance following a cross from Hakan Calhanoglu.
Cremonese tried to fight back after Inter’s opener and, while the promoted side created fewer chances in the first half, they still had two attempts on goal.
Cyriel Dessers had a powerful effort saved by Samir Handanovic in the 14th minute while Charles Pickel’s strike five minutes later was easily anticipated by the Inter keeper.
Substitute Lautaro Martinez, who replaced Correa in the second half, scored in the 76th minute following a quick counterattack initiated by Barella.
Martinez, Inter’s top goalscorer last season, has either scored or assisted in each of the first four games of the campaign for the first time in Serie A.
Cremonese did not go down without a fight and its efforts in the second half were not completely in vain as David Okereke scored a consolation goal in the 90th minute.
Okereke, who joined Cremonese from Club Brugge over the summer, caught everyone by surprise with a brilliant long-range finish, his second goal of the season.
Inter, second in the table with nine points after four games, clashes with rival AC Milan on Saturday while Cremonese hosts Sassuolo on Sunday.
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