Inter defeat Bari to edge closer to Milan

Inter managed to take advantage of Milan’s draw with Lazio the previous evening.

The first half remained goalless, with Bari putting Inter under pressure on a number of occasions.

Inter should have been down to ten-men in the second half when Cristian Chivu punched Bari’s Marco Rossi inside the home side’s penalty area.

The referee somehow did not see the incident and play continued.

After the match a distraught Chivu apologised with Rossi accepting.

Inter left it late in the second half to take the lead.

New signing Houssine Kharja scored the opening goal for Inter on the 70^th  minute.

Eto’o served Kharja with a short pass to conclude with a left-footed shot to beat goalkeeper Gillet.

In the dying stages of the match, Bari seemed to let down their guard to concede two more goals.

Pazzini dribbled past Rossi before shooting past the Bari goalkeeper to double Inter’s advantage.

The final goal arrived thanks to substitute Wesley Sneijder.

Kharja chested down the ball towards Sneijder who left Gillet no chance from close reange.

It was Sneijder’s first appearance since picking up an injury during the World Club Cup final last December.