Football: Icardi At The Double As Crotone Fall To Inter Late Show

MILAN, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Nov, 2016 ) - Mauro Icardi struck a late brace including one from the spot as crisis-hit Inter Milan handed their coach-in-waiting a boost with a 3-0 win over basement side Crotone on Sunday.

Inter have been rudderless since Frank De Boer's sacking as coach last week after a fifth reverse of the season, away to Sampdoria, left the Nerazzurri 13 points adrift of leaders Juventus. But as the Serie A giants wait to appoint one of the three coaches they interviewed on Friday -- Stefano Pioli, Marcelino Garcia Toral and Gianfranco Zola -- Inter's youth team coach Stefano Vecchi took the helm for his maiden league game with aplomb.

Inter dominated throughout but failed to find a way past the spiderman-like reflexes of Crotone 'keeper Alex Cordaz until six minutes from the end when Croatia midfielder Ivan Perisic broke the deadlock.

Icardi was the provider with a long ball from midfield that Perisic controlled well before sweeping past the 'keeper at his far post. Icardi won a penalty minutes later when he was manhandled in the box and gave Cordaz no chance with an incisive shot into the bottom left corner.

And the Argentine secured his brace in the third minute of injury time when he swept Eder's cross from deep on the right past Cordaz first-time from the edge of the box. It was Icardi's 10th league goal of the season and pulled him level with league-leading Roma striker Edin Dzeko, who will be looking to add to boost his account later Sunday at home to Bologna.

Inter, watched throughout by the club's Chinese owners Suning, claimed only their second win in their last seven games to move up to provisional ninth place although they are still 13 points adrift.