Monza v Inter Milan final: Inter subject Monza to brutal 5-1 demolition, with braces from Calhanoglu, Lautaro

MATCH REPORT: MONZA 1 - 5 INTER

Serie A leader’s Inter cemented their position at the top, subjecting mid-table Monza to their largest defeat since being promoted. The 5-1 demolition began in the first fifteen minutes as rampant early spell saw them go two up, while three second half goals saw all the striker get on the scoresheet.

Inter’s opener came from a penalty, awarded when Roberto Gagliardini was judged to have handled the ball when he went up to challenge with Lautaro Martinez for a Nicolo Barella cross.

Hakan Calhanoglu made no mistake, sending the Monza keeper the wrong way to coolly convert his seventh spot kick of the season.

Inter doubled their lead just two minutes later. Mkhitaryan led a furious Inter counter-attack, finding Dimarco on the left who played the perfect low cross into the middle, which Lautaro Martinez had no trouble putting into the net.

Inter might have been expected to run rampant at that point, but instead they took their foot off the gas, and Monza were happy to take any opportunity to get back into the game.

They believed they had halved the deficit on 30 minutes. A Colpani free kick was nodded on by Caldirola and met by Pessina, who headed expertly into the goal. A hint of offside was inevitably investigated and, to the dismay of home fans, Pessina was judged to have been an arm ahead.

The home side continued to press and despite the obvious danger posed by Inter on the break, were able to prevent any more goals from going in at the wrong end, while giving themselves hope of getting back into the game in the second half.

In the second half Inter were happy to sit back and take advantage of opportunities to counter, which was how their third goal came about. Advancing in numbers, Mkhitaryan found Thuram, the Frenchman tapping a simple ball into the path of Calhanoglu for his second of the match.

The game looked to be wrapped up only for Monza to be awarded a penalty after Mota was brought down by Darmian. A confident Pessina scored the spotkick to give Monza hope.

That was dashed on 84 minutes, when Akpa Akpro brought down Davide Frattesi in the box, with Lautaro doubling up from the subsequent spot kick.

The final blow was struck by Marcus Thuram. Caught in possession again, Lautaro carried the ball upfield before firing a crossfield pass to the Frenchman. After toying for a moment with the Monza defence, Thuram fired past the young Monza keeper.

Three more minutes of misery for Monza.

Thuram gets his goal. Monza caught in possession, Lautaro takes it upfield before firing a crossfield pass to Thuram who toys with the Monza defence and then puts it away. He seems (rightly) very happy with that.

Good effort from distance that at least prompts Sommer to lift himself out of his shoes. Best player on the pitch tonight, Mota.

The Serie A leading scorer makes no mistake, going for power and straight down the middle. That should just about be that.

Moments after coming on, Akpa Akpro brings down Davide Frattesi.

Replacing Benjamin Pavard.

The goalscorer is replaced by Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro.

A weaker shot that looked more dangerous than it perhaps was.

It's all well and good to believe, but they're not going to get those goals back unless they play with a bit more urgency. They're running out of time.

Nice shot from Kyriakopoulos from range that presents a challenge to Yann Sommer as it bounces just in front of him.

Francesco Acerbi and Carlos Augusto on for Alessandro Bastoni and Federico Dimarco respectively.

In for Danilo D'Ambrosio.

Who me? Was the sub's response.

Pessina stutter steps then slides it to the left, leaving the Inter keeper flat footed. That's only the tenth goal Inter have conceded all season.

Dany Mota's mazy run invited the challenge from Darmian who just got it wrong, and the referee has no doubt about it.

He might not have been able to get in front of much, the 21 year-old, but that stop, to a thick thick header from Benjamin Pavard, was as good as it gets.

No surprise that Calhanoglu is one of the players going off. Nicolo Barella is the other one.

Cometh the hour... A minute after going into the book, Calhanoglu seals his brace with his second goal this season from open play. It was the kind of goal they were always going to score, a rapid advance with numbers. Mkhitaryan found Thuram who tapped it into the path of Calhanoglu in the middle, the Turkish player putting the ball away with ease.