Serie A

Benevento 2-5 Inter Player Ratings: Lukaku and Hakimi excel

Two wins in a row and nine goals scored for Antonio Conte's side at the beginning of the new campaign

 
10:59am on Thursday 1st October 2020
By
Martin Macdonald

One thing is for certain in Serie A this season - Inter are going to be fun.

In their first two Serie A matches of the 2020/21 season they have scored nine goals and defeated Fiorentina 4-3 and Benevento 5-2 respectively.

The match against Benevento took place on Wednesday, with three Nerazzurri stars in particular shining.

Roberto Gagliardini
DM, M (C) - Inter - 26 yrs
MAN OF THE MATCH
81'
9.4
Sep 30, 2020
81Minutes played
1Goals
1Assists
2Interceptions
19Final third passes
2Duels won
94Successfull passes %
80Touches

Roberto Gagliardini was absolutely superb on the night, contributing a goal and an assist and generally just being a pass master in midfield.

Within the first 30 minutes of the game he had already contributed to two goals.

For his own strike, which came in the 25th minute, he starts off the initial move with a gorgeous diagonal pass out wide for Achraf Hakimi, who subsequently swings a cross to the back post for Ashley Young. Gagliardini is then the beneficiary of a knockdown from the Englishman to slash a lovely half-volley into the corner.

Then, just three minutes later, he would win the ball in midfield after an awful clearance from the keeper, allowing him to drive into the box before passing inside for Romelu Lukaku to score.

His passing was absolutely exceptional as he completed 65/69 balls to team-mates for a completion rate of 94%.

Achraf Hakimi
M, DM (R) - Inter - 21 yrs
90'
8.9
Sep 30, 2020
1Goals
1Assists
4Crosses
19Final third passes
5Touches in box
3Duels won
91Successfull passes %
73Touches

In his first start for Inter, it took Hakimi just one minute to show what he is all about.

After exchanging a neat one-two with Alexis Sanchez down the right wing, he proceeds to fire a cross into the centre of the box for Lukaku to tap home. He would be found in positions like this the entire game, flourishing in the space awarded to him by Benevento.

He would gain a debut goal, too, as a few minutes before the break he latched on to a miskick from Lukaku to prod the ball into the back of the net at the back post, showing superb instinct to dart ahead of the defender.

His athleticism and fitness down the wing was superb, while like Gagliardini, his passing was excellent, completing 42/26 balls to team-mates.

Nineteen of those passes were sent into dangerous areas in the final third.

Romelu Lukaku
S (C) - Inter - 27 yrs
65'
8.1
Sep 30, 2020
2Goals
3Total shots
2Shots on target
4Final third passes
4Touches in box
1Duels won
100Successfull passes %
21Touches

Romelu Lukaku had a pass completion rate of no less than 100% against Benevento on Wednesday.

A remarkable statistic, yes, but when you consider he only attempted 13 passes it puts it in perspective a bit more.

Still, the Belgian striker wasn't there to help with the build-up play, he was there to finish chances, and he did, twice.

Just one minute into play, he held his position inside the box to divert Hakimi's cross one. Then, to double his tally, he displayed impressive composure inside the box to take the touch and calmly finish into the corner in the 28th minute.

He should have got a hat-trick, too, as in the move which led to Hakimi's goal he had the opportunity to score a second before his team-mate did, only to miskick his attempt from a few yards out.

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