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MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 28: Federico Dimarco of FC Internazionale scores their team’s first goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Genoa CFC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on February 28, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Inter shrugged off Champions League disappointment to consolidate their huge Serie A lead, beating Genoa with a fantastic Federico Dimarco volley and Hakan Calhanoglu penalty.
The Nerazzurri were 10 points clear at the top of the Serie A table and preparing for the Coppa Italia semi-final with Como, but home and away defeats to Bodo/Glimt saw them crash out of the Champions League play-offs. It was a shocking result, made worse by losing Lautaro Martinez to injury, plus Alessandro Bastoni was suspended here, with Hakan Calhanoglu only fit for the bench. Genoa were revitalised by coach Daniele De Rossi, but Brooke Norton-Cuffy and Sebastian Otoa picked up injuries in the 3-0 victory away to Torino last week.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
Justin Bijlow had to make two awkward saves in 30 seconds, first on the Ange-Yoan Bonny half-volley, then the resulting Federico Dimarco corner that was looping in at the far post.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan hit a scorching strike from distance that looped up off Johan Vasquez to bounce onto the top of the crossbar with Bijlow beaten.
The Genoa goalkeeper made a wonderful save at full stretch to palm the Bonny header out of the far bottom corner on Nicolò Barella’s cross.
However, he could do nothing on a sensational Dimarco goal. The Italian laid it off to Mkhitaryan and ran down the left ready to meet the chipped return pass, scoring with a remarkably precise left-foot volley from the tightest of angles.
Barella also nodded just over from a Carlos Augusto cross, while Vitinha didn’t get enough on his header from a Mikael Ellertsson ball to the back post.
Vitinha’s effort was deflected off Manuel Akanji to sail over, while Carlos Augusto made an important block on Caleb Ekuban’s header.
Bijlow took the sting out of a Piotr Zielinski cross-shot, but Inter doubled their lead with a chaotic situation.
First Bijlow fingertipped the deflected Luis Henrique shot onto the upright, then as the move continued, the Luis Henrique cross back in struck Alex Amorim’s raised hand for a penalty. Calhanoglu converted by sending the goalkeeper the wrong way.
Amorim rolled across for Jeff Ekhator, who was unable to tap in from six yards, and Ellertsson should’ve done better with a free header wide from Aaron Martin’s set play.
Yann Sommer had an odd moment needing a reaction save from point-blank range on Akanji, who clumsily redirected the Ekhator cross-shot.
It is an eighth consecutive Serie A victory for Cristian Chivu’s side, who temporarily go 13 points clear.
Inter 2-0 Genoa
Dimarco 31 (I), Calhanoglu pen 70 (I)
28-02-2026 19:45
MatchDay 27
San Siro Stadium (Stadio Giuseppe Meazza)InterGenoa
Live2 – 0
Player statistic
| 9' | Ruslan Malinovskyi |
| Henrikh Mkhitaryan | 21' |
| Federico Dimarco(Assist: Henrikh Mkhitaryan) | 31' |
| Hakan Calhanoglu | 65' |
| Hakan Calhanoglu | 70' |
Inter
Genoa
Starting lineups
1
Yann Sommer
Goalkeeper
14
Ange-Yoan Bonny
Defender
76′
32
Federico Dimarco
Defender
25
Manuel Akanji
Defender
6
Stefan de Vrij
Defender
67′
30
Carlos Augusto
Midfielder
22
Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Midfielder
59′
23
Nicolò Barella
Midfielder
7
Piotr Zielinski
Midfielder
76′
11
Luis Henrique
Attacker
9
Marcus Thuram
Attacker
59′
16
Justin Bijlow
Goalkeeper
3
Aarón Martín
Defender
85′
27
Alessandro Marcandalli
Defender
22
Johan Vásquez
Defender
5
Leo Östigard
Defender
32
Morten Frendrup
Midfielder
17
Ruslan Malinovskyi
Midfielder
46′
8
Tommaso Baldanzi
Midfielder
66′
29
Lorenzo Colombo
Attacker
66′
77
Mikael Egill Ellertsson
Attacker
9
Vitinha
Attacker
60′
Substitutes
15
Francesco Acerbi
Defender
36
Matteo Darmian
Defender
2
Denzel Dumfries
Midfielder
13
Josep Martínez
Goalkeeper
12
Raffaele Di Gennaro
Goalkeeper
8
Petar Sucic
Defender
53
Matteo Lavelli
Attacker
20
Hakan Calhanoglu
Midfielder
59′
94
Pio Esposito
Attacker
59′
31
Yann Bisseck
Defender
67′
16
Davide Frattesi
Midfielder
76′
17
Andy Diouf
Attacker
76′
39
Daniele Sommariva
Goalkeeper
1
Nicola Leali
Goalkeeper
70
Maxwel Cornet
Attacker
14
Jean Onana
Midfielder
73
Patrizio Masini
Midfielder
31
Benjamin Siegrist
Goalkeeper
13
Nils Zätterström
Defender
99
Mamedi Doucouré
Defender
4
Amorim
Midfielder
46′
18
Caleb Ekuban
Attacker
60′
10
Junior Messias
Attacker
66′
21
Jeff Ekhator
Attacker
66′
20
Stefano Sabelli
Defender
85′
