MILAN, Italy :Defending champions Inter Milan secured a 2-1 home win against Udinese in Serie A on Sunday with first-half goals from Marko Arnautovic and Davide Frattesi as goalkeeper Yann Sommer made some important late saves.
Arnautovic gave Inter the lead after 12 minutes and Frattesi doubled their advantage before the half-hour mark, both converting from excellent assists by Federico Dimarco.
Inter’s advantage narrowed when Udinese defender Oumar Solet scored with a stunning solo effort in the 71st minute from long range and Sommer pulled off crucial saves late on for Inter to seal the win.
Inter provisionally extended their lead at the top of the standings to six points before second-placed Napoli, on 61 points, host AC Milan later on Sunday.
Udinese are 10th with 40 points.
The hosts, who face city rivals AC Milan on Wednesday in the Coppa Italia semi-finals, were ruthless in the opening half and almost took the lead when Hakan Calhanoglu found the side netting inside the first minute with a powerful strike from outside the area.
Chances kept coming for the hosts as Frattesi hit the post shortly before Arnautovic put Inter ahead with a first-time effort from around the penalty spot.
Dimarco squared the ball to Arnautovic from the left and the Austria forward made it two goals in his last two league appearances, scoring low inside the right post.
Frattesi doubled the advantage soon after, profiting from a near identical team move, with Dimarco setting him up from the left and Frattesi smashing the ball in with a half-volley.
Udinese had an excellent chance to pull a goal back before the break through striker Lorenzo Lucca, but his header was saved by Sommer.
Inter continued to look comfortable after the break until Solet found a way past Sommer.
The French defender, who joined Udinese in January from Red Bull Salzburg, controlled the ball in his own half and drove forward before firing home from distance inside the left post.
Sommer kept Inter in front three minutes later with a superb save, when he leapt to his right to deny another Lucca header.
Udinese could have levelled in stoppage time but the Switzerland keeper again came to their rescue when he kept out Solet’s effort from close range after a corner.
Udinese were without former Inter forward Alexis Sanchez and captain Florian Thauvin in attack.
Inter – still competing on three fronts, with a Champions League quarter-final to come against Bayern Munich next month – rested striker Lautaro Martinez and midfielder Nicolo Barella came on in the second half.
