Sport: Inter 7 – 1 Atalanta [Serie A] Highlights 2016/17

Stefano Pioli’s Inter were in rampant form as Mauro Icardi and Ever Banega netted hat-tricks in a 7-1 evisceration of Atalanta in Serie A.

 

Mauro Icardi netted a perfect nine-minute hat-trick before Ever Banega added a treble of his own as Inter demolished Atalanta 7-1 at San Siro.

Stefano Pioli’s men are up to fourth in the Serie A table having started the day behind their visitors in the standings – making the yawning gulf in class on the field all the more remarkable.

Inter captain Icardi has been a polarising figure for his club and back in his Argentine homeland but he lapped up the adoration as it rained goals in Milan, leapfrogging Edin Dzeko, Gonzalo Higuain and Dries Mertens in the race for the Capocannoniere in the process.

He opened the scoring from close range, left-footed in the 17th minute, before winning and converting a 23rd-minute penalty.

A 26th-minute header brought up 20 top-flight goals for Icardi this season and, having floated in the corner for Inter’s third, Banega then stunningly helped himself to a first-half brace.

Switzerland Under-21 midfielder Remo Freuler’s solo effort offered brief punctuation to an exercise in unrelenting pain for Gian Piero Gasperini’s team, previously so impressive this season, before ex-Atalanta man Roberto Gagliardini added a sixth and Banega arrowed in a superb free-kick.

Atalanta actually started brightly, captain Alejandro Gomez drilling wide with Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic rooted to the spot, before their afternoon unravelled spectacularly.

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