Inter-Genoa: 3-0 - Serie A 2020/2021. Final result and commentary from the game

Where the match is played:
Stadium: Giuseppe Meazza
City: Milano
Capacity for: 80074 people14:31

Hello and welcome to live commentary of this Serie A fixture between Inter and Genoa. The hosts enter this one in brilliant form: they’ve won five of their last six games to climb four points clear at the top of the table – they’ll be looking to extend their lead with victory today.14:31

Genoa are sitting in a more modest 12th place, but they’ll be a tough test for the hosts today – they’re unbeaten in their last six, with three wins during this run.14:31

INTER (3-5-2): Samir Handanovic; Milan Skriniar, Stefan de Vrij, Alessandro Bastoni; Matteo Darmian, Nicolo Barella, Marcelo Brozovic, Christian Eriksen, Ivan Perisic; Romelu Lukaku, Lauturo Martinez.14:40

SUBS: Danilo D'Ambrosio, Alexis Sanchez, Matias Vecino, Arturo Vidal, Daniele Padelli, Andrea Ranocchia, Ionut Radu, Roberto Gagliardini, Aleksandar Kolarov, Ashley Young, Andrea Pinamonti.14:40

GENOA (3-5-2): Mattia Perin; Edoardo Goldaniga, Ivan Radovanovic, Cristian Zapata; Paolo Ghiglione, Kevin Strootman, Nicolo Rovella, Filippo Melegoni, Lennart Czyborra; Marko Pjaca, Gianluca Scamacca.14:47

SUBS: Andrea Masiello, Valon Behrami, Mattia Destro, Milan Badelj, Eldor Shomurodov, Miha Zajc, Manolo Portanova, Davide Zappacosta, Domenico Criscito, Federico Marchetti, Goran Pandev, Jerome Onguene.14:47

Inter make one change to the side that claimed a crucial win over AC Milan last time out: Achraf Hakimi drops out of the squad with Darmian replacing him on the right flank.14:52

Genoa, meanwhile, make six changes to the team that drew with Genoa. Masiello, Zajc, Criscito, Badelj, Zappacosta and Destro all drop out.14:53

Martinez has been involved in 17 league goals this season (13 goals, four assists), as many as he managed last term – Genoa are one of the eight sides against whom the Inter striker has not yet found the back of the net in Serie A.14:53

The players are emerging from the tunnel and kick off is just seconds away!14:59

Genoa get the first half underway. 15:03

It was a neat pass from Martinez into Lukaku to kickstart the counter, but that goal was mostly about the Belgian striker's brilliant run and finish!15:10

Well, that's the ideal start for Inter! Genoa have been a tough team to score against recently, and solving this problem will really take the pressure of the hosts now.15:06

Inter look full of intent as Martinez drives into the box, only to be held off by strong defensive work from Goldaniga.15:08

Perisic gets to the byline and drills in a low cross that Genoa nervously clear at the second attempt. 15:09

Scamacca lets fly from distance, but his powerful effort is straight at Handanovic. 15:10

Inter have started this game with real fluency in attack and they look capable of scoring at any moment! Genoa will need to dig in and survive this spell before recovering later. 15:12

Scamacca robs Eriksen and drives inside the Inter half, before laying it off to Rovella who curls a speculative effort high and wide from distance. 15:13

Big chance for Darmian! Lukaku holds off Radovanovic, before slipping Darmian through on goal! However, Perin closes down the angle well and even though Darmian stabs it over the goalkeeper, his effort skews narrowly wide!15:17

Chance for Martinez! Eriksen's corner is nodded into the path of Martinez by Skriniar, but the striker can't quite get a shot off from close range and Zapata clears!15:19

Zapata flattens Barella to stop a counter-attack and earns himself a yellow card. 15:21

Barella hits the bar! Inter continue to pile on the pressure as Barella's whipped effort from 25 yards flicks dangerously off the top of the bar!15:22

Martinez darts towards the edge of the box, but his attempted throughball into Lukaku is cut out by Radovanovic. 15:23

Lukaku almost gets a second! Barella slips Lukaku in behind with a deft, threaded pass and the striker cuts inside before whipping a dangerous shot from eight yards that flicks off Zapata and over!15:25

Genoa continue to hang on as Goldaniga blocks away a venomous effort from 12 yards by Martinez. 15:27

Perin pushes away Lukaku's vicious drive from 25 yards. 15:28

Genoa had conceded the joint-fewest Serie A goals since the turn of the year prior to this game, but Inter's attack has ripped through them consistently in the opening 30 minutes. Nevertheless, the hosts have only scored once despite their complete dominance. 15:30

Perin is forced into action again as he parries Lukaku's angled drive to safety.15:34

Handanovic spills Rovella's corner, but he's bailed out by a foul being called against Genoa.15:34

Genoa have done well to limit Inter to just one goal so far, but at some point they'll need to start carrying a threat of their own to get back in this game.15:37

Another intricate Inter move ends with Barella laying it off for Martinez to curl a strike from 18 yards that Perin gathers comfortably.15:38

Brilliant effort from Martinez! Inter go close again as Darmian's cross prompts Martinez to attempt an overhead-kick, that fizzes straight into the grasp of Perin from close range!15:39

Strootman is shown a yellow card after tugging Martinez over to stop a break.15:42

The away side have started enjoying a little more possession as we approach half time. 15:44

Czyborra angles in a cross from deep, but it sails over Scamacca and it's gathered by Handanovic. 15:46

Darmain goes on a mazy run across the box before dragging a tired shot wide from 18 yards. 15:46

HALF TIME: Inter 1-0 Genoa15:48

Lukaku's early goal gives Inter a deserved lead against Genoa. This has been an incredibly one-sided game since the first minute - within 30 seconds Lukaku had drilled a precise finish into the net from 20 yards. From there, Inter created chance after chance, but Genoa survived through a combination of strong goalkeeping from Perin and luck. Scamacca was the only real threat for the away side, but they've managed just three shots and they'll be looking to put in a much better display in the second 45. 15:51

The worry for Genoa is that if they commit more numbers forward, Inter might run away with this game. It's going to be tricky to balance the need to get back into the game and damage limitation in the second half.15:52

Inter get the second half underway.16:09

Genoa make a double substitution at half time: the first change sees Strootman make way for Behrami.16:10

Radovanovic is replaced in defence by Onguene.16:11

Inter were rampant in that first half as they produced nine shots from inside the box. Genoa will need to stifle the hosts much more effectively if they're to recover. 16:12

Eriksen's curling effort spins well wide from distance.16:12

Bastoni adventurously overlaps and gets to the byline, but his cross is cleared. Nevertheless, the fact that Inter's centre-backs are happy to get into the final third underlines their dominance so far. 16:13

Genoa attempt to settle into the game after the interval with a long spell of possession inside their own half.16:15

Eriksen works a corner short to Martinez, who slaloms down the byline before having a low cross pushed behind by Perin.16:17

Barella lets fly from distance but it goes high and wide.16:20

Genoa have attempted to deprive Inter of possession in this half to slow them down, and it's worked to an extent. Inter have had 49 per cent possession in the second half and they've managed just two shots since the break.16:21

Scamacca makes way for Pandev in attack.16:23

Ghiglione also departs with Shomurodov taking his place.16:24

This half has been a lot tighter than the first and if Inter don't manage to increase their lead we could be set for a thrilling end to the game.16:25

Genoa have still yet to muster a shot in the second half and another move comes to an end as De Vrij picks off Pandev's througball. 16:27

Martinez finds Eriksen's run with a deft backheel but the midfielder blasts his shot wastefully over from 20 yards.16:29

That was a brilliant assist from Lukaku! He kickstarted a counter-attack from almost nothing and then had the composure and selflessness to set up Darmian for a huge chance!16:33

Melegoni is replaced in midfield by Portanova.16:33

That should be the game now for Inter, who've put in an impressive display, led by a fantastic Lukaku performance. 16:34

Perin is forced to acrobatically punch Eriksen's corner clear. 16:35

Martinez is replaced in attack by Sanchez.16:44

Brozovic departs with Gagliardini coming on.16:44

Almost three! Lukaku latches onto Perisic's cross and stabs it at goal from close range, only for Perin to block it away! Sanchez manages to head the follow-up beyond the goalkeeper but he's ruled offside. 16:44

VAR's checking the offside call now. Initially, Lukaku was ruled to be offside from Perisic's cross, but replays show that he was in line with the defender and that Sanchez's goal should stand!16:44

Lukaku's impact was crucial again there. The striker's movement ensured that he got on the end of Perisic's low cross, and despite his shot being saved, it paved the way for Sanchez to tap in. 16:45

This has been a comprehensive win for Inter and you wouldn't be surprised if they added to their lead.16:46

Inter make a triple substitution with the game as good as won. The first change sees Darmian go off with D'Ambrosio taking his place.16:46

Barella makes way for Vidal in midfield.02:31

Young comes on for Perisic on the left flank.02:31

Lukaku holds off Onguene deep inside the box before laying it off to Sanchez whose shot is blocked away.16:49

Brilliant save from Perin! D'Ambrosio jinks inside from the right wing and curls a dangerous effort towards the far corner that Perin tips just wide of the post!16:50

Three minutes of stoppage time are added on.16:52

Almost a second for Sanchez! Perin denies Inter again by pushing Sanchez's low drive from 12 yards to safety!16:53

FULL TIME: Inter 3-0 Genoa16:54

Lukaku leads Inter to a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Genoa. Inter dominated this one from start to finish and quickly stamped their authority on the game when Lukaku's precise effort from 20 yards beat Perin within a minute. From there Inter piled the pressure on the visitors with Perin being forced into a number of impressive saves to keep the score to one at the break. But the hosts weren't to be denied in the second half and they secured the points when another Lukaku run set up Darmian for the second. There was still time for Sanchez to make it three as well, when he nodded in after Perin had denied Lukaku. Genoa offered little going forward and they'll just be relieved that this one is over, as Inter ran out clear winners.16:58

The result means that Inter move seven points clear at the top of Serie A, while Genoa drop to 13th.16:59

That's all for now though, goodbye!16:59