Lautaro scores again as Serie A champion Inter beats Lazio in Italian Cup warmup

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MILAN (AP) — After helping Inter Milan to the Serie A trophy, captain Lautaro Martínez also looks set to win the top goal-scorer’s prize.

Lautaro scored one and set up another to help Inter win at 10-man Lazio 3-0 on Saturday in a warmup for the Italian Cup final.

That took his tally to 17 in the league, four clear of his nearest rival, teammate Marcus Thuram. Como duo Tasos Douvikas and Nico Paz have five fewer than the Argentina World Cup winner.

There are three rounds remaining after this weekend.

Inter clinched Serie A last Sunday and can secure a league-cup double in the Italian Cup final on Wednesday, when it will again face Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico.

On Saturday, Inter took an early lead in the sixth minute as a long throw-in was nodded on by Thuram for Lautaro to volley in from close range.

Inter doubled the lead shortly before halftime. Lautaro and Andy Diouf exchanged several passes on the left side of the area before Lautaro rolled it across for Petar Sucic to fire into the top left corner from just outside the area.

Lazio’s hopes of salvaging something diminished in the 59th when defender Alessio Romagnoli was sent off for a high, studs-up challenge on Ange-Yoan Bonny — the Inter forward was fortunate to come away unscathed. Romagnoli will be suspended when Lazio faces Roma next Sunday.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan capped the result for Inter.

Cagliari is still not mathematically safe from relegation following a 2-0 loss at home to Udinese.

Cagliari was nine points above 18th-placed Cremonese, which hosts already-relegated Pisa on Sunday.

Lecce was only four points above the drop zone and playing fourth-placed Juventus later Saturday.

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