VERONA - Inter faced Chievo Verona at the Stadio Bentegodi this evening in Week 27 of the 2011/12 Serie A season. The Nerazzurri had several chances to take the lead in the first half (Milito saw his penalty saved and Sneijder's curled effort skimmed the bar) but couldn't make the breakthrough. They kept at it after the restart but their efforts were thwarted until the 87th minute, when Samuel rose to connect with Sneijder's corner and head home. Two minutes later Zanetti's cross was met by Milito in the air to put the match to bed. Inter are back on the winning trail.
FIRST HALF – Chievo took the kick-off and started
the match with the bit between their teeth, earning the first corner
after 2 minutes. Inter cleared it and from the subsequent attack Stankovic had a
dig from a decent position, his shot deflecting off Andreolli.
Minutes later the Serbian tried his luck again: another
deflection, this time with the ball ending up in the keeper's arms. A penalty was awarded to Inter for Acerbi's
handball in the 14th minute following
a Sneijder corner. Milito stepped up
and struck it powerfully but down the middle and Sorrentino kept it out. Inter went close again in the 19th minute as
Sneijder collected a ball from Forlan and curled a delightful effort
onto the top of the bar with Sorrentino well beaten. The Nerazzurri
continued to press and they carved out another chance on 27 minutes when
Maicon played a slide-rule pass for Zanetti to run onto; however, the captain was stopped in his tracks by a well-timed challenge from Andreolli. A
minute later another chance fell to Stankovic, the midfielder
controlling with his thigh before fizzing a shot just over the bar. The
Serbian had two more chances in quick succession in the 40th minute: first a header and then
with a scissor kick, both efforts repelled by the Gialloblù's
defence. A minute later Chievo showed they were still in the game as
Pellissier worked his way into the box and got his shot away, only to
be denied by a combination of Lucio and Julio Cesar. Pellissier then
claimed he was pushed by the Brazilian defender. On the stroke of
half-time Inter might have had another penalty as Sneijder's shot
was charged down at close range by Sammarco with the use of his arm,
but the referee chose to let play continue. After a minute of added
time, the first half ended goalless.
SECOND HALF – There were
no changes during the interval. The first opening after the restart was
created by Sneijder, who cut inside from the left and
dinked a cross to the far post where Poli was a whisker away from
connecting at full stretch. In the 55th minute the Dutchman produced a thunderous free kick from some distance that blazed not
more than half a yard away from the top corner of Sorrentino's goal.
Two minutes later Maicon burst past a couple of opponents and powered
his way into the box but, as he prepared to pull the trigger, Acerbi slid
in to make a crucial tackle. On the hour mark Di Carlo made his first
change of the game, hauling off Sammarco and replacing him with
Dainelli. Two more substitutions
followed in the 71st minute – Pazzini for Forlan and
Hetemaj for Luciano – then Di Carlo played his final card 5 minutes
later, bringing on Moscardelli in place of Pellissier. Bradley curled a
dangerous free kick just over in the 79th minute before Cambiasso came on with 6 minutes left on the clock, Poli making way.
The Argentine almost made an immediate impact. Inter were awarded a
free kick on the edge of the box and – after Chievo coach Di Carlo
was sent off for protesting – Sneijder curled a fantastic
shot over the wall only to see Sorrentino to keep it out with a low
dive; Cambiasso was the first to the rebound but couldn't keep his effort down. With time running out Inter finally got the goal their
performance deserved in the 87th minute: Sneijder whipped in a corner and Walter
Samuel climbed high above everyone else to head back across goal
beyond the keeper's reach and into the bottom corner. The Nerazzurri
doubled their lead just two minutes later as captain Zanetti drove
down the right flank and sent over a great cross for Diego
Milito to nod past Sorrentino. Two minutes of added time were
played before the referee called an end to proceedings: Inter beat
Chievo by two goals to nil, a result that takes them up to 40 points
in the table.
Chievo 0-2 Inter (HT: 0-0)
Scorers: Samuel 87, Milito 90.
Chievo Verona: 54 Sorrentino; 21 Frey, 3 Andreolli,
15 Acerbi, 93 Dramé; 10 Luciano (56 Hetemaj 71), 16 Rigoni, 6
Bradley; 7 Sammarco (29 Dainelli 60), 77 Théréau; 31 Pellissier (9 Moscardelli 77).
Unused subs: 1 Puggioni, 12 Cesar, 8 Cruzado, 23 Paloschi.
Coach: Domenico Di Carlo.
Inter: 1 Julio Cesar; 13 Maicon, 6 Lucio,
25 Samuel, 55 Nagatomo; 4 Zanetti, 5 Stankovic, 18 Poli (19
Cambiasso 84); 10 Sneijder, 9 Forlan (7 Pazzini 71), 22 Milito.
Unused subs: 12 Castellazzi, 20 Obi, 26 Chivu, 28 Zarate, 37 Faraoni.
Coach: Claudio Ranieri.
Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni (Bergamo).
starting lineups
| Sorrentino |
1 Julio Cesar |
| Frey |
13 Maicon |
| Andreolli |
6 Lucio |
| Acerbi |
25 Samuel |
| Dramè |
55 Nagatomo |
| Luciano |
4 Zanetti |
| Rigoni |
5 Stankovic |
| Bradley |
18 Poli |
| Sammarco |
10 Sneijder |
| Thereau |
9 Forlan |
| Pellissier |
22 Milito |
substitutes
| Puggioni |
12 Castellazzi |
| Cesar |
7 Pazzini |
| Cruzado |
19 Cambiasso |
| Hetemaj |
20 Obi |
| Moscardelli |
26 Chivu |
| Paloschi |
28 Zarate |
| Dainelli |
37 Faraoni |
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