MILAN — Inter Milan was booed by its fans and outplayed yet somehow beat bottom club Benevento 2-0 to move to third in Serie A on Saturday.
Two goals in as many minutes from Milan Skriniar and Andrea Ranocchia helped Inter to only its second win in 11 matches.
Luciano Spalletti’s side moved a point above Roma and two above Lazio. Roma hosts AC Milan on Sunday, shortly after Lazio visits Sassuolo.
Benevento remained 11 points from safety.
Inter, which has the derby against Milan next weekend, was dismal and it took less than seven minutes for the first jeers to rain down from the San Siro crowd.
Its worst first-half performance of the season was spared by goalkeeper Samir Handanovic.
Handanovic saved well from Benevento forward Massimo Coda, who went close again early in the second half but shot over the crossbar.
Inter took the lead against the run of play in the 67th minute. Matias Vecino nodded on a corner for Skriniar to head in at the far post.
Almost immediately, Ranocchia stooped to head a free kick into the bottom left corner.
Benevento’s misery was complete nine minutes from time when Nicolas Viola was sent off for a second foul.
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GOOD RUN ENDED
Mattia Destro scored one and set up the other to help Bologna beat Genoa 2-0 and end their opponent’s good run.
Bologna leapfrogged Genoa into 11th, safe from the relegation zone.
Bologna and Genoa were tied on points heading into the match, but Genoa was seeking a fourth consecutive win.
After a drab first half, Destro broke the deadlock with a scrappy goal four minutes into the new period.
Adam Masina latched onto Erick Pulgar’s ball into the area and prodded it past Genoa goalkeeper Mattia Perin. Aleandro Rosi slipped as he tried to clear the ball off the line and succeeded only in kicking it as far as Destro, who tapped in from point-blank range.
Bologna doubled its lead in the 72nd as Destro stole the ball off Nicolas Spolli in midfield and raced towards goal, drawing Perin before rolling across for Cesar Falletti to slot into an empty net.
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