MILAN, ITALY — Federico Dimarco delivered a virtuoso performance from left-back, scoring once and assisting twice as Inter Milan dismantled Pisa 6-2 in a Serie A encounter that brutally exposed the chasm between the league's elite and its struggling underdogs. The Nerazzurri's relentless attacking display at San Siro left no doubt about the stark quality differential between first place and 19th.
The match began with a stunning twist as Pisa's Stefano Moreo announced himself with a thunderous strike from beyond 35 yards in the 11th minute, catching Yann Sommer completely off guard. The speculative effort arrowed into the bottom right corner, sending the away supporters into momentary raptures. Moreo's audacious goal was quickly followed by another, as he headed home from the six-yard box following Mattéo Tramoni's precise corner delivery, giving Pisa a shocking 2-0 advantage.
Inter's response was swift and merciless. Tactical adjustments saw Dimarco push higher up the left channel, creating numerical overloads that Pisa's overwhelmed defense simply couldn't contain. Piotr Zielinski converted a penalty in the 39th minute, dispatching a right-footed rocket to the top right corner to halve the deficit. Just two minutes later, Lautaro Martínez rose majestically to meet Dimarco's pinpoint cross, powering a header into the bottom left corner to level the score.
The floodgates burst open as Inter's attacking machinery found its devastating rhythm. Deep into first-half stoppage time, Francesco Pio Esposito powered home a header from close range after Alessandro Bastoni's perfectly weighted cross, giving the hosts a 3-2 lead at the interval. The statistics told a compelling story of Inter's absolute dominance: they controlled 66.4% possession and unleashed 34 attempts on goal compared to the visitors' meager eight.
Simone Inzaghi's side continued their relentless onslaught after the break, with Dimarco at the heart of everything dangerous. The Italian international's intelligent movement between the lines created constant problems for Pisa's increasingly fragile backline, while Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Petar Sucic controlled the midfield battle with consummate ease. Pisa goalkeeper Simone Scuffet was peppered with shots, making five saves to prevent an even more humiliating scoreline.
The fourth goal arrived in the 82nd minute through a devastating counter-attack. Marcus Thuram, recently introduced as a substitute, fed Dimarco, who rifled a left-footed shot from the left side of the box into the bottom left corner. Four minutes later, Ange-Yoan Bonny, another substitute, slotted home from the left side after receiving Dimarco's perfectly weighted assist, extending the lead to 5-2.
Mkhitaryan added the final flourish in stoppage time, heading from close range following a corner to complete the comprehensive rout. The Armenian's clinical finish came after Yann Bisseck's initial header was blocked, with Dimarco once again providing the delivery from the corner flag.
The tactical superiority was evident throughout. Inter's 4-3-3 formation allowed their full-backs to push high, creating numerical advantages in wide areas that Pisa's 3-5-2 system couldn't hope to counter. The visitors' attempts to press high were effortlessly bypassed, with Inter's exceptional technical quality in midfield proving decisively overwhelming.
Pisa's defensive fragility was ruthlessly exposed, with their backline repeatedly torn apart by Inter's fluid movement and intricate combination play. Ebenezer Akinsanmiro and Michel Aebischer worked tirelessly in midfield but were comprehensively outclassed by the quality and quantity of Inter's attacks.
The victory keeps Inter firmly atop Serie A with 36 points from 16 matches, their attacking prowess on full, magnificent display. For Pisa, languishing in 19th place with just 11 points, the defensive issues that have plagued their campaign remain starkly unresolved. Their goal difference now stands at a catastrophic minus-12, a brutal reminder of the monumental work required to avoid relegation.
Inter's substitutions demonstrated their extraordinary squad depth, with Thuram and Bonny making immediate, impactful contributions. The Nerazzurri's ability to maintain intensity despite wholesale changes in the second half highlighted the enormous gulf in class between the two sides.
The match statistics painted a picture of complete and utter dominance: 14 shots on target for Inter compared to Pisa's three, seven corners to five, and a possession advantage that allowed the hosts to dictate every conceivable phase of play. The three yellow cards shown to Pisa players reflected their mounting frustration as they chased shadows for long, punishing periods.
Inter's attacking carousel will face a sterner test when they host Borussia Dortmund in European competition on January 28, while Pisa must regroup quickly before hosting Sassuolo on February 1 in what shapes as a crucial relegation six-pointer.