Calhanoglu's early goal sends Inter top despite wasteful display against Cagliari

Hakan Calhanoglu struck after just nine minutes to hand Inter Milan a hard-fought 1-0 victory at Cagliari on Sunday, maintaining the champions' perfect start to their Serie A title defence. The Turkey midfielder guided home a first-time effort from the edge of the box for his second goal in as many games, setting the tone for a dominant first-half display in Sardinia.

Wasteful Finishing Nearly Costs Champions

Despite controlling proceedings, Inter squandered a string of opportunities to put the match beyond doubt. Goalkeeper Elia Caprile kept Cagliari in contention before the interval with a series of saves, while wayward finishing compounded the visitors' profligacy. The pattern continued after the break as Lautaro Martinez, Francesco Pio Esposito and Alessandro Bastoni all missed promising chances.

England international Curtis Jones came off the bench for his debut in the second half, but Inter's wastefulness in front of goal threatened to prove costly as Cagliari mounted late pressure. The champions registered 29 shots throughout the contest yet managed only Calhanoglu's solitary strike, though it proved sufficient to send them top of the table after two matches. Inter sit level on points with AC Milan, Juventus and Lazio but lead on goal difference.

Como Spoil Allegri's Napoli Homecoming

Elsewhere on Sunday, Como continued their impressive form against top-flight opposition by defeating Napoli 2-1 at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, ruining Massimiliano Allegri's home debut as the hosts' coach. Martin Baturina fired Cesc Fabregas's side ahead in the 17th minute as chances materialized at both ends in soaring Naples temperatures.

Rasmus Hojlund's brilliant strike pulled Napoli level half an hour in, but a defensive lapse allowed Anastasios Douvikas to restore Como's advantage with his second consecutive goal of the campaign. Kevin De Bruyne, who had inspired Napoli's opening-weekend victory over Genoa with a goal and assist from the bench, entered early in the second period but could not swing momentum. Como withstood late pressure, with Stanislav Lobotka's stoppage-time effort disallowed for offside to preserve all three points.

"It is a very valuable win... the first half was very good and in the second we understood that we were facing champions, and we held out," Fabregas told DAZN. The result lifted Como to four points from two matches, whilst last season's runners-up Napoli remained on three.

Gennaro Gattuso's Lazio also secured a second consecutive victory, edging Genoa 1-0 in Rome through summer signing Davide Frattesi's match-winning strike.