MILANO, Italy — A Marcus Thuram strike deep into first-half stoppage time set Internazionale on their way before substitute Henrikh Mkhitaryan wrapped up a 2-0 victory over Parma at San Siro, as the league leaders continued their relentless march toward the Serie A title. The Nerazzurri, sitting atop the table with 72 points from 31 matches, were made to work harder than the scoreline suggests by a Parma side that defended with genuine discipline and spirit throughout.
The breakthrough arrived at the stroke of half-time, and it was worth the wait. Piotr Zielinski threaded a perfectly weighted through ball into the channel, and Thuram latched onto it with purpose, driving from the centre of the box before slotting a composed right-footed effort into the bottom left corner. It was the kind of finish that separates the title contenders from the rest — unhurried, precise, and devastatingly well-timed. The San Siro crowd, sensing the moment, roared its approval as the teams headed to the dressing rooms.
Parma had not been without their moments before the goal. Nicolò Barella, one of Inter's most influential figures in midfield, rattled the crossbar with a left-footed effort from the centre of the box after being teed up by Francesco Pio Esposito, a reminder that the hosts were creating chances with regularity. Zion Suzuki, the Parma goalkeeper, also produced a sharp stop to deny Thuram from a header — the Frenchman meeting a Barella delivery at the centre of the box, only to see Suzuki claw it away from the top centre of the goal. Lautaro Martínez, too, tested the Japanese stopper with a left-footed drive from the right side of the box, but Suzuki held firm.
Simone Inzaghi moved decisively at the hour mark, introducing Lautaro Martínez, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and Carlos Augusto simultaneously in the 67th minute — a triple substitution that shifted the game's tempo and gave Inter fresh legs and ideas in the final third. Zielinski, who had earned a yellow card for a reckless challenge three minutes earlier, made way for Mkhitaryan, and the Armenian veteran wasted little time in justifying his manager's faith.
The second goal arrived in the 80th minute and it was a product of the very combination Inzaghi had engineered. Lautaro Martínez, sharp and direct since his introduction, worked the ball into a dangerous position and laid it off for Mkhitaryan, who needed no second invitation — sweeping a left-footed shot from very close range into the bottom left corner. It was a finisher's goal, executed with the calm authority of a player who has been in this position many times before.
The statistics told the story of a match that was more competitive than the final scoreline implied. Possession was shared almost equally at 50%-50%, a reflection of Parma's willingness to engage rather than simply absorb pressure. Yet the visitors' 3 saves from Suzuki underlined the difference in quality in the final third — Inter created, Inter converted, while Parma's attacking forays rarely troubled the home goalkeeper.
Parma, sitting 14th in the table on 36 points, showed enough resilience to suggest their survival battle is far from over, but the gulf in class between the two sides ultimately proved decisive. Their recent form — which included wins over Pisa and Udinese — had offered hope, but Inter's quality in the key moments was simply too much to overcome.
The scoreboard resets; the table does not. Internazionale now host Lazio on May 10 with the title firmly in their sights, while Parma travel to face AS Roma on the same date, knowing that every point in the final weeks of the season could prove vital in their bid to secure top-flight football for another year.