MILAN - Unbeaten Internazionale moved five points clear of Roma at the top of Serie A after brushing aside Torino on Sunday afternoon at the San Siro.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic put the Nerazzurri on their way on 38 minutes when he converted from the penalty spot after being brought down inside the area by Gianluca Comotto.
Julio Cruz doubled Inter's advantage on 50 minutes before substitute Luis Jimenez made it 3-0 soon after.
Ivan Cordoba capped a wonderful afternoon for Inter by nodding into the net with 14 minutes remaining.
The outcome was all the more precious for the Nerazzurri considering fellow Scudetto hopefuls Roma were held to a 1-1 draw at Livorno.
Inter coach Roberto Mancini welcomed back defender Marco Materazzi to the starting XI after a long injury lay-off.
The hosts, looking to warm up for their midweek Champions League encounter at PSV Eindhoven, started in confident fashion.
Ibrahimovic could have broken the deadlock after six minutes with his powerful strike from the edge of the area forcing goalkeeper Matteo Sereni to make an instinctive save.
Toro soon reacted with Alessandro Rosina's effort from distance bringing a full-stretch save out of goalkeeper Julio Cesar.
On 15 minutes, Cesar's volley forced Sereni to make another save.
Torino were not intimidated and surged forwards more aggressively.
The Turin outfit should have gone in front on 26 minutes but Nicola Ventola failed to beat Julio Cesar in a one-on-one inside the area after being fed by David Di Michele.
Shortly afterwards, Gianluca Comotto almost stunned Julio Cesar with his angled effort going just over the far post with the keeper already beaten.
Despite the visitors' efforts, it was Inter who took the lead before the break.
Comotto brought down Ibrahimovic inside the area and the referee pointed to the spot.
Ibrahimovic coolly struck past Sereni to hand the Italian champions a 1-0 lead.
Mancini made his first substitution after the restart, with Luis Jimenez replacing Cesar and his team looked more incisive.
On 50 minutes, Inter put a good move together and were rewarded.
Cristian Chivu's cross from the left into the area found an unmarked Cruz whose header beat Sereni.
Toro had little time to react as Inter struck again two minutes later.
Jimenez's 25-yard diagonal strike stunned Sereni and hit the back of the net.
Torino were unlucky not to reduce the deficit shortly after the hour mark, with Cesare Natali's close-range header from a corner rebounding off the crossbar with the keeper already beaten.
But Toro's hopes of a comeback were finally crashed soon after that as Cordoba's close-range header from a corner beat Sereni.
At the other end, Julio Cesar came off his line to meet Di Michele who was ready to fire on target.
The visitors never gave up and almost found the consolation goal on 88 minutes with Roberto Stellone's close-range header going just wide of the far post.
