Inter stay on heels of rivals with 2-0 win at Cagliari

CAGLIARI, Italy :Inter Milan earned a 2-0 away win over Cagliari on Saturday thanks to an early goal from Lautaro Martinez and a late strike by substitute Francesco Pio Esposito, and moved up to fifth in the Serie A standings.

Cristian Chivu's Inter desperately needed a win to avoid losing touch at the top at this early stage of the season, having suffered two losses in their opening four games, and a second successive victory keeps them in touch with their title rivals.

Inter are on nine points, three off leaders Napoli who are at AC Milan on Sunday, while Cagliari remain on seven points, dropping to 10th spot.

"The performance was there, I'm proud of the boys because at every misstep people are ready to attack us," Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni told Sky Sport.

The visitors' job was made easier with a ninth-minute lead when Bastoni put a cross into the area and Martinez rose to send his header into the far corner from the edge of the six-yard box.

Cagliari are the Inter striker's favourite opponents, with Martinez netting his 12th goal against the hosts, who failed to live up to expectations having lost just once previously this season, that defeat coming against champions Napoli.

The opening half was a scrappy, physical affair, constantly interrupted by the referee's whistle, where Cagliari never threatened Inter's early lead, with not a single shot, on or off target, registered before the break.

With Inter unable to create any real chances to increase their lead however, the game remained delicately poised going into the second half.

Inter began to turn the screw after the break, Hakan Calhanoglu's strike from outside the area crashing off the upright, and Marcus Thuram drove through on goal but his effort was saved by