Mauro Icardi netted a brace to ensure that Inter Milan finished the Serie A season in victorious fashion this evening, with all of the goals in their 4-3 win over Empoli coming in the second half at the San Siro.
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Davide Bassi had to be alert early on in the Empoli goal as Yuto Nagatomo tried to force the ball in from 25 yards out, but the keeper claimed it comfortably.
Elseid Hysaj looked to get involved down the other end for the visitors, whipping in a cross from the right flank, but there was no-one waiting for it.
Inter continued to look the more likely as half time approached, but Icardi was denied by a diving save as he struck on the rebound, while a low drive from Rodrigo Palacio drew another Bassi stop a couple of minutes later.
The home side were on the attack again soon after the restart as Hernanes latched on to a Nagatomo cross, only to slice the ball high into the stands.
Icardi soon got Roberto Mancini's side back into the Empoli box, squaring the ball to Palacio to leave the striker to smash home into an empty net.
Inter doubled their lead just a couple of minutes later as Mateo Kovacic played the ball in for Icardi, setting up the striker to lash an effort in from the edge of the box.
Empoli responded well to going behind though, as Mario Rui picked out Levan Mchedlidze down the other end, leaving the forward to fire a bullet header into the back of the net.
The visitors were back on level terms just three minutes later as Simone Verdi sent a long ball forward, resulting in Manuel Pucciarelli hitting it first time from the centre of the box, slotting it under the keeper.
Mchedlidze could have put Empoli in front shortly after as he tried a low shot for his second of the match, but Samir Handanovic was on hand to make the stop.
Inter were back ahead in the 70th minute as Nagatomo provided a through-ball for Marcelo Brozovic, which he controlled well before squeezing into the bottom-left corner.
Icardi was involved again shortly after as Hernanes teed him up for the shot, allowing him to tie Luca Toni as the top scorer in the league this season with his second goal of the game.
He could have taken the top scorer plaudits outright inside the final 10 minutes when he tried his luck with a shot on the turn from the edge of the box, but it ended up going well wide.
Empoli gave themselves a chance to earn a point late on as Pucciarelli found Mchedlidze in space with just two minutes remaining, leaving the striker to rifle it into the left side of the goal, but they were unable to strike again before full time.
The result ensures that Inter finish eighth in the final standings, while Empoli end the season in 15th.
Sian Cowper
