Çalhanoglu strike gives Inter narrow 1-0 win at Cagliari

Inter Milan continued their strong start to the Serie A season with a hard-fought 1-0 win at Cagliari on Monday. Hakan Çalhanoglu scored the decisive goal after just ten minutes and the defending champions held on to claim a second consecutive victory. The result keeps Simone Inzaghi's side top of the table on goal difference, level on six points with AC Milan, Juventus and Lazio.

The Nerazzurri, who will also face Real Madrid in the Champions League league phase, dominated long stretches of the game and created scoring chances in waves. However, a combination of Elia Caprile's goalkeeping and poor finishing left the scoreline far tighter than the balance of play suggested.

• Inter have started the Serie A campaign with two wins from two matches.
• Hakan Çalhanoglu scored the only goal in the 10th minute with a fine curling shot.
• The visitors attempted 19 shots and created several clear chances to extend the lead.
• Cagliari pushed late on and came close to an equaliser that would have been undeserved.
• Inter stay top on goal difference ahead of Milan, Juventus and Lazio.

Çalhanoglu strikes early with a superb finish from the edge of the box

It took Inter only ten minutes to open the scoring. Çalhanoglu collected a pass from Nicolò Barella and curled a precise shot from just outside the area that nestled inside the post. The Turkish midfielder, named player of the match, had also scored the opener in the first round against Monza and once again delivered a key early goal.

The goal set the tone for a first half in which Inter looked sharp in possession and found space with regularity. The defending champions moved the ball quickly between the lines and repeatedly attacked down the flanks. Cagliari struggled to keep up with the tempo and spent long periods camped in their own half.

Caprile and poor finishing keep the scoreline close

Shortly after the opening goal, Inter created three clear chances in quick succession. Lautaro Martínez fired a low cross-shot just wide of the post, Manuel Akanji headed from close range without hitting the target, and Federico Dimarco saw his volley kept out by a superb save from Caprile.

The visitors continued to threaten before the interval. Barella lifted a clever touch over the onrushing goalkeeper and appeared to have opened the door for a second goal, but Juan Rodríguez cleared the ball away from danger. Inter went into half-time with a narrow lead that did not reflect their dominance.

More chances after the break but no second goal for Inter

The second half followed a similar pattern, with Inter pushing forward and creating opportunities without finding the finishing touch. Lautaro capped a flowing team move with a strike that flashed narrowly wide, while Francesco Pio Esposito forced another sharp stop from Caprile with a close-range effort.

Alessandro Bastoni also came close to settling the match when he received a cutback from Dimarco, but his shot went wide of the far post. Inter could not find the second goal, and their inability to kill the game gave Cagliari a growing sense of belief as the minutes ticked away.

Josep Martínez stands firm as Cagliari push for an equaliser

The visitors' goalkeeper had enjoyed a largely quiet evening, but that changed in the closing stages. Josep Martínez was called into action with confidence and produced a couple of solid interventions to keep his side ahead. The Spanish shot-stopper helped steady Inter as Cagliari began to commit more players forward.

Adam Obert tried his luck with a strike that cleared the crossbar after cutting inside in the box. The biggest scare came when Michel Adopo pounced on a loose ball and fired a point-blank effort toward goal, only for Yann Bisseck to make a crucial block when the ball was heading in. Inter survived and collected the points.

Inter go top with a perfect start ahead of a demanding week

The 1-0 result in Sardinia extends Inter's perfect start to the league season. After beating Monza 4-1 on the opening day, Inzaghi's men have taken maximum points from their first two games and lead the standings on goal difference. The performances have been convincing, even if the margin of victory this time was narrower than expected.

Inter finished the match with 19 attempts and a mixed feeling: the win was rarely in serious doubt, but the scoreline should have been more comfortable. With a Champions League campaign on the horizon and a meeting with Real Madrid included in the league phase, Inzaghi will know that greater efficiency will be required at the highest level.