Torrential rain and delays can’t halt Inter’s pursuit of Serie A leader Napoli

By Canadian Press on May 11, 2025.

MILAN (AP) — Torrential rain and hail posed several problems on Sunday but not to Inter Milan’s pursuit of Serie A leader Napoli.

Amid a thunderstorm and delays, Inter managed a 2-0 win at Torino to move level with Napoli at the top of the Italian league — provisionally at least.

Napoli was playing Genoa at home later Sunday.

If Napoli and Inter are still level after the final two rounds there will be a playoff to decide the destination of the league title.

Inter coach Simone Inzaghi made wholesale changes to his squad following Tuesday’s extraordinary 4-3 victory over Barcelona, after extra time, that sent his team into the Champions League final.

The visitors took the lead in the 14th minute with a fantastic goal as Nicola Zalewski gathered Alessandro Bastoni’s long pass, with his back to goal, before turning his marker to cut inside and curl into the bottom right corner.

Rain, thunder and hail

The heavens then opened in Turin, making play increasingly more difficult, with heavy rain, thunder and hail.

The referee interrupted play shortly before the interval to discuss the situation with the two captains, before resuming to see out the half.

The halftime break lasted 30 minutes rather than the usual 15 before the second period started.

It took Inter less than five minutes to extend its advantage through Kristjan Asllani’s penalty after Mehdi Taremi was brought down by Torino goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic.

Relegation playoff possibility

The fight for Serie A safety could also go down to a playoff match.

Lecce could only manage a 1-1 draw at Hellas Verona to move level on points with 18th-placed Empoli.

Verona is also not safe as it is five points above those two.

Elsewhere, already-relegated Monza recorded its first victory since January and only its third of this season, with a 2-1 win at Udinese.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Daniella Matar, The Associated Press