Inter Milan snatch Champions League spot from Lazio

AFP  |  Milan 

Inter snatched the final berth with a dramatic come-from-behind 3-2 win over direct European rivals on the final day of the season at the on Sunday.

Inter had to win in order to take third place from who had a superior head-to-head record and needed just to draw.

Late goals from and ensured Inter return to for the first time since the 2011-2012 season, along with Juventus, Napoli and Roma.

"The target was the The finish line," said Argentine striker Icardi. "The game wasn't going the right way, but we showed strength to get it back on track." had led 2-1 with a quarter of an hour to go in after turned the ball into his own net and Brazilian Anderson got a second four minutes before the break.

But got one back after 29 minutes with Icardi slotting in a penalty after 78 minutes following a Stefan De Vrij foul to join Lazio's as the top scorer this season with 29 goals.

Lazio was sent off late for a second yellow card with Vecino heading in the winner minutes later as the Roman side fell apart with Spanish defender also sent off in the dying minutes of the game.

Both Inter and Lazio finished equal on 72 points but Inter are ahead on direct clashes leaving Lazio fourth, five points behind Roma who beat Sassuolo 1-0 on Sunday. Lazio go into the along with AC who sealed direct access to the group stage with a 5-1 rout of Fiorentina, who finish eighth.

"There is great regret for what could have been," said "It takes nothing away from the season we had. We showed we could compete with anyone, we beat Juventus twice."

- Napoli record points haul - =============================

Earlier second-placed Napoli ended their record-breaking season with a 2-1 win that condemned Crotone to second-tier next season. orchestrated both Napoli goals as the southerners achieved a club record 91 points for the season -- four behind champions Juventus.

Juventus lifted the Scudetto for the seventh consecutive year with a game to spare and capped the season with a 2-1 win over on Saturday, during which goalkeeping star called time on his 17-year career with the giants.

"The team has had an extraordinary season. For three consecutive years we have had club record point hauls. We have always been growing," said

"Since there have been three points for a win, anyone who has ever passed 90 points has always won."

and scored both Napoli goals in the first half. pulled one back for Crotone but the side from return to after two seasons in the top flight where they join and

scored a double as went on a goal spree in a come-from-behind win over Fiorentina at the San Siro that sealed sixth place and direct access to the group stage.

opened for Fiorentina but Turkish international Hakan Calhanoglu's got the equaliser before Cutrone headed in the first of his double four minutes before the break.

Croatian forward extended Milan's lead on 49 minutes off a rebound with Calhanoglu setting up Cutrone for his second 10 minutes later. Giacomo Bonaventura completed the rout after a run through midfield on 76 minutes.

Milan finished the season with 64 points while Fiorentina, whose season was devastated by the sudden death of in March, missed out on European action by finishing eighth.

Atalanta took seventh place and a spot in the qualifying rounds despite a 1-0 defeat at Cagliari.

Promoted SPAL get to play another year in and capped the season with a 3-1 win over Sampdoria.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Mon, May 21 2018. 10:00 IST