Inter Milan returned to the top of Serie A with a hard-fought 2-1 victory away to Genoa, ending the hosts’ five-match unbeaten run in the league.

With title rivals AC Milan and Napoli both dropping points earlier in the day, Inter were aware of the opportunity to reclaim first place and produced a composed first-half performance to take control of the contest.

The Nerazzurri, who had scored a league-high 12 first-half goals before the round of fixtures, wasted little time in making their mark. After just six minutes, defender Yann Bisseck opened the scoring, firing in from the edge of the area as his effort crept past Nicola Leali at the near post.

Inter dominated possession and territory for much of the opening period, though clear-cut chances were limited as Genoa remained disciplined at the back. However, seven minutes before half-time, the visitors found a crucial second goal. Lautaro Martinez collected the ball inside the penalty area, danced past two challenges and curled a superb left-footed finish into the far corner to give Inter a 2-0 lead at the interval.

Genoa, who have enjoyed a resurgence since Daniele De Rossi’s appointment in early November, struggled to make an attacking impact for long spells as Inter appeared comfortable after the break.

The game looked to be drifting towards a routine conclusion until just over 20 minutes from time, when the hosts injected late drama. Vitinha pounced on a loose ball in the box, rounded goalkeeper Yann Sommer and rolled the ball into an empty net with Genoa’s first shot on target to reduce the deficit.

Buoyed by renewed belief, the home crowd sensed a possible comeback, but Inter remained composed in the closing stages. The visitors managed the game expertly to secure their fifth win in their last six away league matches.

The result leaves Genoa winless in their last 13 Serie A meetings with Inter and drops them to 16th in the table, just two points above the relegation zone.