Lukaku double fires Inter Milan to big win at Benevento
Football
By
Reuters
| Oct 01, 2020
Two goals from Romelu Lukaku helped Inter Milan to a 5-2 victory at promoted Benevento on Wednesday as the Serie A title contenders notched their second win in a row.
The Belgian striker fired the visitors in front after 28 seconds and Inter soon raced away as a Roberto Gagliardini strike and Lukaku’s second put them three up before the half-hour mark.
Benevento pulled one back through Gianluca Caprari, but Achraf Hakimi’s first goal for Inter since his move from Real Madrid restored their three-goal cushion before halftime.
Substitute Lautaro Martinez scored with a neat finish after the break before Caprari notched his second to earn Pippo Inzaghi's side a consolation.
Inter are one of four Serie A teams to have picked up maximum points from their opening two games, along with Napoli, Hellas Verona and AC Milan.
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Benevento are on three points, thanks to their opening day comeback victory over Sampdoria.
Antonio Conte made seven changes to the side that beat Fiorentina 4-3, but Inter took the lead almost immediately when Lukaku swept home Hakimi's cross.
Two goals in three minutes ended the game as a contest by the 28th minute, as Gagliardini smashed a half-volley home before Lukaku tapped in his second.
Caprari pounced on a poor clearance from Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic to reduce the deficit, but Hakimi soon capitalised on hesitant Benevento defending to fire in.
Both sides were denied by the woodwork after the break as Gabriele Moncini clipped the post for the hosts and Gagliardini shot against the bar.
Inter substitute Martinez made it five with a curling effort, before Caprari’s close-range finish ended the goal-fest.
Elsewhere, Spezia made history by recording their first ever Serie A win, a 2-0 victory at Udinese.
Andrey Galabinov scored twice to secure the three points, the second coming deep in stoppage time after the visitors held on with 10 men following the 65th-minute dismissal of captain Claudio Terzi.