A first-half finish from Fredy Guarin and a Mauro Icardi brace helped to give Inter Milan a comfortable 3-0 win over visiting Palermo in Serie A this evening.
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Juan Jesus had the perfect chance to opening the scoring in the early stages, but he was denied by a standout stop from Palermo keeper Stefano Sorrentino down at his bottom corner.
The hosts went in front with the game's next major chance when Xherdan Shaqiri broke down the flank before crossing for Guarin, who tucked into the bottom-left corner from close range.
Palermo might have brought themselves level had Mato Jajalo been a little more accurate with his wild attempt from range, before Paulo Dybala also shot wide from the right side of the box.
Rodrigo Palacio was wasteful for Inter just before the break after he headed off target despite a telling cross from Marcelo Brozovic.
Franco Vazquez came close to bringing the away team level in the second period, only to be denied by a brilliant save from Samir Handanovic at his bottom-left corner.
Inter pushed to cement the three points and it looked as though the game might be against them after both Icardi and Andrea Ranocchia rattled the woodwork on two separate occasions.
The hosts finally found the second goal to seal the victory in the 66th minute, with Icardi receiving a headed pass from Palacio, which allowed him to convert comfortably with his left.
Milan added another goal late on when Icardi completed his brace by latching on to a Guarin cross to head home and make it 3-0.
Christopher Dodd
