Mourinho’s Roma loses 3-0 to former team Inter Milan

Roma's head coach Jose Mourinho walks during a Serie A soccer match between Roma and Inter Milan, at Rome's Olympic Stadium, Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

MILAN (AP) — Roma coach José Mourinho had a nightmare match against his former team as the capital side lost 3-0 at home to Inter Milan in Serie A on Saturday.

Hakan Çalhanoğlu, former Roma forward Edin Džeko, and Denzel Dumfries scored in the first half. It was the first time in Mourinho’s career that one of his teams was 3-0 down at halftime.

Mourinho answered only one question from journalists in his news conference.

“I apologize again for not responding to other questions. I’m just going to say what I think,” Mourinho said. “Inter is better than us on a good day, they finished with 29 points more than us last year and also this year they’re better.

“On a good day it would have been a difficult match, but today it was even harder because of absentees.”

Inter Milan's Edin Dzeko celebrates with his teammates after he scored his side's second goal during a Serie A soccer match between Roma and Inter Milan, at Rome's Olympic Stadium, Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Inter moved to second in Serie A, a point behind AC Milan after the Rossoneri beat Salernitana 2-0 to move to the top of the league. Napoli dropped to third, two points below Milan, after losing to fourth-placed Atalanta 3-2.

Roma remained fifth.

Mourinho steered Inter to the treble of Serie A, Italian Cup and Champions League success in 2010. He took over at Roma in the offseason but has had mixed results. Roma has lost four of its past six league matches.

Inter opened the scoring when Çalhanoğlu curled in directly from the corner flag. The lead was doubled in the 24th minute. Çalhanoğlu cut inside from the left and pulled the ball back for Džeko to sweep into the top left corner. Džeko didn’t celebrate against the club he left in the offseason.

The Nerazzurri had the result virtually wrapped up by halftime. Alessandro Bastoni whipped in a cross from the left for a diving header from Dumfries at the back post.

TURNAROUND

Two goals in the space of five minutes saw Atalanta recover from 2-1 down to win in Naples.

It was only Napoli’s second league loss.

Napoli's Dries Mertens, left, scores his team's second goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Napoli and Atalanta at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021. (Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse via AP)

Ruslan Malinovskyi gave Atalanta an early lead but goals either side of halftime from Piotr Zieliński and Dries Mertens put Napoli ahead.

However, Merih Demiral fired Atalanta level in the 66th minute and Remo Freuler netted what was to prove the winner shortly after.

Duván Zapata had a header come off the post for Atalanta, which also had a penalty revoked on video review.

ANOTHER INJURY

Milan dominated against bottom-placed Salernitana but lost another player to injury.

After Rossoneri defender Simon Kjær was ruled out for the rest of the season during the week, forward Pietro Pellegri came off early against Salernitana.

AC Milan players celebrate after winning the Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Salernitana at San Siro stadium, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Milan was already 1-0 up by that point after Franck Kessié fired home after Rafael Leão cut the ball back from the byline in the fifth minute.

Alexis Saelemaekers doubled Milan’s lead in the 18th with a powerful strike. He celebrated by running to the touchline and holding up a shirt with Kjær’s name on it.

By Associated Press

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