Icardi narrowly misses the target, and Genoa try to break down the other end from Perin's goal kick, but Vidic is back in position to head clear. Time is just about done in this game.
90'
Geno have improved markedly in the second half and as a result, the scoreline fairly flatters Inter at this point. However, it's hard to deny them the win, they've generally been the better side.
88'
N. Vidić has scored a goal for Inter Milan!
VIDIC MAKES SURE OF IT! The corner takes a deflection off a Genoa head and Vidic, from point-blank range, makes no mistake, nodding the ball past Perin!
87'
R. Krhin enters the game and replaces G. Medel.
From an over-hit corner, Vidic motors to the corner flag on the opposite inside and does exceptionally well to milk the clock, before forcing another corner. Will the delivery be better?
85'
H. Campagnaro gets yellow.
A. Izzo has scored a goal for Genoa!
GENOA HAVE ONE BACK! Handanovic stops an initial effort on the turn from Timo Costa, but there's no preventing Izzo from the rebound!
84'
T. Costa enters the game and replaces A. Bertolacci.
Injury here to Medel, which may mean that we won't see Shaqiri make his Inter debut after all, if Mancini decides to err on the side of caution with his Chilean hard man. He looks to be alright for now though.
82'
A. Bertolacci gets yellow.
Time is starting to run out for Genoa, as they see two shots blocked in quick succession. They're starting to snatch at these half-chances a little, which is playing into Inter's hands.
80'
G. Fetfatzidis enters the game and replaces T. Rincón.
At the moment it's shaping up like a better return to old memories for Palacio than for Gasperini. The Argentine has scored one goal in this game against the club that sold him to Inter in the first place.
78'
The ball breaks kindly for Obi on the edge of the area and he slams a 20-yarder towards goal, but it's right down the throat of Perin! He had a team-mate peeling into space to boot.
76'
Kucka cuts in from the left flank and tries to bend one into the opposite side, but a deflection takes the sting off the effort and allows Handanovic the chance to pluck it out of the air.
Minute
Description
74'
J. Obi enters the game and replaces Hernanes.
Hernanes wins a free kick on the edge of the area, but he allows Podolski to do the honours. The German curls one for the top corner but misses by about a foot, with Perin rooted to the spot!
72'
Genoa are still applying a lot of pressure, but it's not with the same potency as the previous period. Inter look to have weathered the worst of the storm, but they still need to be professional to close this out.
71'
S. De Maio gets yellow.
70'
Huge cheer around the stadium as an errant pass slams him right in the face, making him lose his balance. He gets up with a grin from dimple to dimple, and the crowd are loving it.
68'
CHANCES CONTINUE TO RAIN FOR GENOA! Bertolacci takes the ball on a swift turn and leaves his man for dead, which then gives him the space to lash towards goal, but he misses the target!
66'
Z. Kuzmanović enters the game and replaces R. Palacio.
CROSSBAR SAVES INTER! Lestienne is left all alone at the far post, and acrobatically slams the ball towards the top corner, but the frame of the goal prevents Genoa from getting on the board!
64'
GENOA THREATEN AGAIN! Anotnelli has been a real goal threat, finding himself in a few promising advanced positions. He attacks a cross inside the area but loops a header agonizingly over the bar.
62'
Inter simply can't clear from a corner and the ball breaks kindly for Bertalocci just inside the area. However, his snap shot misses the target by inches, and the hosts can breathe again!
60'
One hour gone and this game has really taken on a more even tone. Genoa have been finding some joy down the right-hand side, and their increased attacking endeavour has opened up more space for Inter to break. Exciting times ahead.
58'
NEARLY FOR FALQUE! The wide man latches onto a rolling pass and with his first touch, he curls a wonderful effort to the bottom corner that is pushed away with an equally commendable save from Handanovic!
56'
The marking on Icardi in particular has been routinely shambolic from Genoa. He's been wide open four times, by my count, from open play and set pieces. More often than not Perin has had to bail out his defence.
54'
Hernanes clips a free kick into the box that is flicked into the path of Icardi at the far post. For the umpteenth time, he's wide open, but the flag is up for an offside on the initial header.
52'
J. Kucka enters the game and replaces A. Matri.
A few signs of life from Genoa recently, as they begin to force a few errors from Inter in possession, which was unheard of in the first half. They'll need to show a lot more to erase this two-goal deficit though.
50'
Medel gets back to make a convincing header on a cross. Or at least, it looked convincing until Antonelli attacked it from all of 30 yards with a volley, which needs a diving smother from Handanovic.
48'
Inter are back in control and try to motor through the right-hand side of the box. However, De Maio makes a crucial interception on Palacio's attempted latch-on pass to end the opening.
46'
We're back in action.
45'
Inter pass the opposition into submission to close out a sterling half of football, but there's still time for Edenilson to whip in a dangerous cross that Handanovic flaps at, but there's no one there in white to profit!
43'
That's 10 goals for the season now for the hungry-looking Icardi, equaling his best-ever record in the league. He's now just one shy of current Serie A top scorer Carlos Tevez.
41'
No less than the Nerazzurri have deserved. A dominant first-half display full of verve and invention. At times, Genoa have been hanging on for dear life, needing some last-ditch defensive plays to stop the opposition.
39'
M. Icardi has scored a goal for Inter Milan! Assist by Hernanes.
INTER HAVE THEIR SECOND! D'Ambrosio wins a corner, and when the ball comes in, Icardi rises above his man to head home! Perin, so assured earlier, could have done a lot better than his flapping attempt at a save.
38'
Now Guarin makes up the yards on the right-hand side and plays a dangerous ball into the box from the byline. A great move, but no finish at the end of it from a team-mate.
36'
D'Ambrosio works the ball into the area for Palacio, who steals a yard at the near post and pulls the trigger. However, Perin is on hand again to make the save! The Genoa keeper has been in fine form.
34'
A Genoa attack breaks down and Inter can counter. Icardi gets on his bike and runs at the defence, but he ignores the run of Palacio and as a result, gets himself surrounded by too many white shirts.
32'
Podolski floats a free kick towards the far post but Vidic, the intended target, can't spring high enough to win the header. Genoa can break, but they fail to execute down the right-hand side.
30'
Podolski is adjudged to have fouled Izzo and he's furious at that decision. He seems to have settled well at his new club - it was his cameo against Juventus that played a big part in turning that game back into Inter's favour.
28'
Inter, like everyone else not named Roma or Juventus, have their eyes on the third and final Champions league place. They're currently eight points off that particular pace, but recent form has suggested that the gap may be closed soon.
26'
Guarin feigns to shoot from a long way out before attempting to slide in Icardi into a pocket pf space inside the penalty area. However, the defence intercepts, having learned their lesson from chances past.
24'
The ball gets played into the box for Genoa but Matri, under heavy scrutiny from a defender, can't get to it in time, and that allows Handanovic the opportunity that he needs to punch the ball away from goal.
22'
It's been utterly one-way traffic in this game, despite that earlier chance for Genoa. The passing and movement has been crisp, and the home fans are loving this improved Inter. Is that the Mancini method beginning to take effect?
20'
Hernanes attempts to manufacture space at the top of the box, and he holds onto the ball long enough to spot the run of Podolski into the area. Like Medel before him he tries to hook it into his team-mate, but this time, the defence read it and clear.
18'
Podolski breaks at pace and leaves one man for dead. Palacio is peeling down the left-hand side and the German attempts to pick him out, but Rincon makes a magnificent interception.
16'
Hernanes trips up De Maio, allowing Genoa a rare chance to launch the ball into the area. However, once again, the delivery is poor and Inter can clear with ease. The visitors need to make better use of such chances.
14'
Inter's attacking has generally had a lot of pace and purpose about it. Crucially, we haven't even seen the full backs Campagnaro and D'Ambrosio in too many advanced positions as the Nerazzurri have generally moved the ball too quickly to allow for overlaps.
12'
R. Palacio has scored a goal for Inter Milan!
PALACIO OPENS THE SCORING! Medel hooks a pass right into the path of Icardi who stays onside, and strikes an acrobatic effort that Perin manages to parry. However, Palacio hunts down the rebound and slams it home!
11'
Lestienne breaks down the left-hand side again and is in position to latch in another dangerous cross but this time, his delivery has none of the accuracy as the previous one which set up that chance for Antonelli.
9'
Nearly a great opener for Genoa! Antonelli snakes between two defenders to latch onto a lovely cross, but his low stab to the far post is parried by the goalkeeper! Handanovic did well there.
7'
Podolski's addition has seen Inter assume a more natural 4-2-3-1 shape. The German, along with Palacio, provide two goalscoring threats from out wide, and the Nerazzurri are looking more expansive than in previous weeks.
5'
Genoa can't launch a free kick into a threatening-enough area, and Inter can break again. Podolski flicks the ball to Hernanes, but the Brazilian's first touch allows his marker to intercept with ease.
3'
Straight away Inter are on the attack, and Icardi nearly slides them into an early lead! The striker is threaded through on goal but Perin spreads himself low to make the save! Moments later, Palacio cuts a dangerous ball across the face of goal that finds no takers.
1'
We're off!
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Serie A clash between Inter and Genoa at San Siro. The hosts are looking to move back into the European places, while the visitors have thier eye on that third and final Champions League place. I'm Keeghann Sinanan, your guide for all the action.
Roberto Mancini has hardly set the world on fire since returning to San Siro for his second spell in charge of the Nerazzurri. However, credible draws recently against Lazio and Juventus have resored some hope, as well as an exciting January of transfer activity. More on that in a second.
Gian Piero Gasperini has seen his Genoa side pick up only one point from their last three games - a come-from-behind draw against Atalanta midweek. That has seen them drop away from the Champions League places, and they will want a win to put the pressure back on rivals Lazio and Napoli.
These two sides have met 94 times already in the league, with Inter far ahead having notched 47 wins to Genoa's 18. Tonight's hosts have won only one of their last four against the same opponents in the league, but the Rossoblu's last win against the Nerazzurri at San Siro came in 1994.
Inter's winter flurry has seen them pick up Lukas Podolski on loan from Arsenal, as well as securing the services of Xherdan Shaqiri from Bayern Munich. The former makes his first start for his new club tonight on the left flank, while the latter is on the bench and could well appear at some point. Rodrigo Palacio is also on the right, with Mauro Icardi leading the line.
Only one swap from Gasperini after the Atalanta game, and it's an enforced one. Facundo Roncaglia is suspended, so Armando Izzo replaces him in the visitors' defensive line.
The referee ends a great half of football for Inter that has just flown by. Palacio opened the scoring and Icardi doubled their advantage to send the hosts into a lead that they so richly deserve. Genoa have had a few isolated moments, but overall, they've been outclassed. Stay tuned for the restart in just a bit.
Full time at San Siro and a deserved victory for the Nerazzurri. Goals from Palacio, Icardi and Vidic did the damage, rendering Izzo's nothing more than consolation at the end of the day. The home side move back into the top half of the table while the visitors miss a huge chance to steal a march on third place.
I've been Keeghann Sinanan, signing off and wishing you all the best.
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