MILAN: Inter Milan bounced back from last week’s surprise loss to Bologna by beating Lecce 2-0 in Serie A on Sunday.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Lautaro Martínez scored in each half for Inter, which returned to second spot.
The Nerazzurri are two points above Lazio — and three points ahead of AC Milan — in a tight fight for the Champions League spots. Fifth-place Roma, which is six points behind Inter, played Juventus later Sunday.
Inter took a while to get into the match at San Siro but broke the deadlock in the 29th minute as Robin Gosens raced down the left and crossed for Nicolò Barella, who feinted to shoot before rolling across to Mkhitaryan to sweep the ball into the top right corner.
Barella also had a hand in Inter’s second, eight minutes after the break, as he sent Denzel Dumfries down the right. He crossed for Martínez to fire in at the near post.
Lecce is nine points above the relegation zone.
Relegation fight
Hellas Verona drew 0-0 at fellow struggler Spezia and had goalkeeper Simone Perilli to thank on his Serie A debut.
Perilli was standing in for Lorenzo Montipò, who was out with illness, and he made a sensational save with two minutes remaining to push Kelvin Amian’s effort over the bar.
M’Bala Nzola had also hit the post for Spezia, which remained three points above Verona and the bottom three.
Sampdoria stayed at the bottom of the table after drawing 0-0 at home to Salernitana.
Inter beat Lecce 2-0 in Serie A ahead of Roma vs. Juventus
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Inter beat Lecce 2-0 in Serie A ahead of Roma vs. Juventus
Morocco part company with coach Regragui as World Cup looms
RABAT: Morocco parted company with coach Walid Regragui on Thursday, three months before the World Cup, with the country’s football federation naming Mohamed Ouahbi as his replacement.
Regragui leaves despite having led the Atlas Lions to the World Cup semifinals in 2022 and to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations at the beginning of this year.
“I leave my post with loyalty, gratitude, and the certainty that I have served my country,” he declared during a ceremony broadcast live on television, confirming weeks of persistent rumors that he was on his way out.
Ouahbi, 49, is promoted to the role having overseen Morocco’s triumph at the Under-20 World Cup in October, with the federation describing the move as “a strategic transition” in the run-up to the World Cup in North America in June and July.
“It’s a desire not to waste time and to take a different direction,” a source close to the Moroccan Federation told AFP.
“By appointing Mohamed Ouahbi and welcoming top-tier reinforcements, we are raising our standards and our demands,” the source said.
Morocco will be in Group C at the World Cup along with five-time winners Brazil, Scotland and Haiti.
They begin their campaign against Brazil at the MetLife Stadium just outside New York City on June 13 and will be hoping to make a big impression at the tournament before co-hosting the 2030 edition with Spain and Portugal.
“Our ambition is to consolidate our place among the best nations in a sustainable way and to perform well from this summer, as well as in 2030,” the leader of the Moroccan federation, Fouzi Lekjaa, said recently.
Regragui was hailed in 2022 after Morocco became the first African nation in World Cup history to reach the semifinals, beating Spain and Portugal along the way.
However, Regragui likely paid the ultimate price for the manner in which Morocco lost the recent AFCON final to Senegal.
His team were beaten 1-0 after extra-time at the end of a match marred by the Senegal team’s decision to walk off the pitch in protest at the award of a controversial late penalty to the hosts.
The penalty award with the game goalless sparked trouble in the crowd involving Senegal fans, 18 of whom were jailed following the disruption.
Real Madrid star Brahim Diaz eventually took the penalty after a long delay but his kick was saved and Senegal went on to win the game.
