Sánchez stars as Inter thrashes Brescia 6-0 in Serie A

MILAN (AP) — Alexis Sánchez set up two goals and scored a penalty as Inter Milan thrashed relegation-threatened Brescia 6-0 to consolidate third place in Serie A on Wednesday.

Inter was already 3-0 up at halftime thanks to the penalty and goals from Ashley Young and Danilo D’Ambrosio. Roberto Gagliardini, Christian Eriksen and Antonio Candreva netted after the break.

Inter moved seven points above fourth-place Atalanta, which hosts Napoli on Thursday. It is eight points behind league leader Juventus.

Brescia remained eight points from safety.

Inter Milan needed to win to hold off hard-charging Atalanta in the race for third and took the lead in the fifth minute when Young was left unmarked to volley in Sánchez’s cross.

Sánchez got on the scoresheet himself 15 minutes later, striking a penalty into the bottom left corner after Victor Moses was tripped by Aleš Matějů.

It was confirmed earlier on Wednesday that the Manchester United forward will remain on loan at Inter until the end of the Serie A season.

Inter had struggled since the season resumed after it was halted because of the coronavirus pandemic but it all but wrapped the match up on the stroke of halftime when D’Ambrosio headed in Young’s cross.

And Sánchez set up another seven minutes after the break with a free kick which was headed in by Gagliardini.

Inter coach Antonio Conte brought on Candreva, Eriksen and Romelu Lukaku midway through the second half and the latter two combined for Inter’s fifth in the 83rd minute, with Eriksen tapping in after Lukaku’s effort was parried.

Candreva, who had earlier hit the crossbar, finished off the scoring five minutes later.

Elsewhere, Bologna drew 1-1 against Cagliari.

Zlatan Ibrahimović could return from injury when AC Milan visits last-place Spal in one of the four later matches.