Inter secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Cagliari on Sunday, maintaining their perfect start to the Serie A season despite failing to fully reflect their dominance on the scoreboard.
Hakan Çalhanoğlu scored the decisive goal in the ninth minute after receiving a well-weighted pass from Nicolò Barella before calmly firing a low shot past goalkeeper Elia Caprile.
The early goal gave Inter control of the contest, with Cristian Chivu’s side dominating possession and creating several opportunities to extend their advantage.
Inter finished the match with 65 per cent possession and registered 30 shots compared with Cagliari’s 10.
The visitors also produced seven efforts on target, while the hosts failed to test Inter’s goalkeeper with a shot on target.
Cagliari, however, defended stubbornly and goalkeeper Caprile played a key role in keeping the scoreline respectable, making five saves, including two important stops.
Inter continued to press after the interval, with Federico Dimarco providing a constant threat from the left flank, while Alessandro Bastoni helped dictate play from defence.
Cagliari improved after making three substitutions in the 57th minute and enjoyed a stronger spell in the second half.
The hosts created more attacking pressure but struggled to find a way through Inter’s organised defence.
Chivu responded with changes of his own, introducing Piotr Zieliński, Curtis Jones and Marcus Thuram as Inter looked to secure the result and add a second goal.
Zieliński quickly settled into the game and created a major opportunity, while Thuram provided additional pace and movement in attack.
Despite Inter’s overwhelming attacking numbers and sustained pressure, Cagliari held firm until the final whistle.
Çalhanoğlu was the standout performer, not only scoring the winner but also helping Inter control the midfield with accurate passing and defensive contributions.
The victory sees Inter leave Sardinia with three points, although their inability to turn their dominance into a bigger winning margin will be the main concern for Chivu.
