MILAN - Inter put four past Verona in tonight's Week 9 meeting in San Siro to run out as 4-2 winners. Jonathan, Palacio and Cambiasso found the target before the break then Rolando added a fourth in the second half as the Nerazzurri returned to winning ways in front of the Meazza faithful.
There was standing ovation for Massimo Moratti shortly before kick-off: following the display of affection shown him by shareholders at yesterday's meeting, the president was again applauded as he took his place in the stand.
Meanwhile, down on the pitch Inter lined up in a 3-5-1-1 formation. Mazzarri went with Juan Jesus, Ranocchia and Rolando at the back with Carrizo deputising between the sticks for the suspended Handanovic. Jonathan and Nagatomo filled the wide berths in midfield, Guarin, Cambiasso and Kovacic were in the centre, and Alvarez started in support of Palacio.
Inter took nine minutes to break the deadlock. Cambiasso's corner was met by Jonathan on the far side of the box and the Brazilian's sweetly struck volley found its way into the back of the net via a deflection.
Three minutes later it was 2-0 from another corner sent over to the far post. Rolando leapt above Donati, Guarin's goalbound effort was blocked on the line by Jorginho but the ball bounced somewhat fortuitously off Palacio and into the goal.
Inter had a third goal ruled out for offside around the half-hour mark (Guarin's through ball for Palacio was a fraction too late) and immediately afterwards Verona halved the deficit. Toni teed up Martinho, who galloped into the box before firing past Carrizo.
Within six minutes the Nerazzurri had restored their two-goal cushion. Nagatomo did superbly to get himself into a shooting position and was unlucky to see his curling strike come back off the post. Fortunately the rebound fell to Palacio, who knocked the ball into the path of Cambiasso and the Argentine gratefully smashed it home for his third of the campaign. Cuchu celebrated by revealing a T-shirt in support of Ivan Cordoba following the Nerazzurri team manager's recent health problems.
The first 45 minutes ended 3-1 to Inter.
Soon after the restart Guarin went on a surging run up the field before guiding a long-range shot towards the far corner, which was kept out by Rafael at full stretch. In the 53rd minute Palacio was booked for slotting the ball past the keeper after losing a very close offside call: the striker hadn't heard the referee's whistle.
Inter did find a fourth three minutes later, however. Another corner was swung in, Rafael made the initial save but was helpless to prevent Rolando steering home the rebound at the near post.
On 71 minutes Verona again reduced the arrears as Toni squared for Romulo on the edge of the box and the on-loan Fiorentina midfielder steered a well-placed finish into the corner beyond Carrizo's reach.
Toni thought he'd made it 4-3 in the 76th minute but the World Cup winner's close-range effort was chalked off for a foul in the build-up.
Three minutes of added time were played before the referee called a halt to proceedings. Belfodil and Moras were issued red cards after the final whistle for a flash of handbags.
Inter 4-2 Hellas Verona (HT: 3-1)
Scorers: Jonathan 9, Palacio 12, Martinho 32, Cambiasso 38, Rolando 56, Romulo 71.
Inter: Carrizo; Juan Jesus, Ranocchia, Rolando; Jonathan, Cambiasso (Kuzmanovic 63), Guarin, Kovacic (Taider 79), Nagatomo; Alvarez; Palacio (Belfodil 64).
Subs not used: Castellazzi, Maniero, Andreolli, Icardi, Mudingayi, Wallace, Samuel, Pereira, Olsen.
Coach: Walter Mazzarri.
Hellas Verona: Rafael; Romulo, Donati (Donadel 55), Martinho, Toni, Iturbe, Moras, Jorginho, Maietta, Cacciatore (Gomez 83), Agostini (Cacia 73).
Subs not used: Mihaylov, Albertazzi, Laner, Longo, Jankovic, Bianchetti, Rubin, Gonzalez, Sala.
Coach: Andrea Mandorlini.
Referee: Celi.
Booked: Cambiasso 10, Palacio 53, Donadel 67, Jonathan 89, Iturbe 90+1.
Sent off: Belfodil 90+3, Moras 90+3.
Added time: 0 + 3 minutes.
Attendance: 43,097.
starting lineups
| Carrizo 30 |
1 Rafael |
| Jesus 5 |
2 Romulo |
| Ranocchia 23 |
5 Donati |
| Rolando 35 |
6 Martinho |
| Jonathan 2 |
9 Toni |
| Cambiasso 19 |
15 Iturbe |
| Kovacic 10 |
18 Moras |
| Guarin 13 |
19 Jorginho |
| Nagatomo 55 |
22 Maietta |
| Alvarez 11 |
29 Cacciatore |
| Palacio 8 |
33 Agostini |
substitutes
| Castellazzi 12 |
31 Mihaylov |
| Maniero 45 |
3 Albertazzi |
| Andreolli 6 |
4 Laner |
| Belfodil 7 |
7 Longo |
| Icardi 9 |
8 Cacia |
| Mudingayi 16 |
11 Jankovic |
| Kuzmanovic 17 |
13 Bianchetti |
| Wallace 18 |
16 Rubin |
| Taïder 21 |
21 Gomez |
| Samuel 25 |
23 Gonzalez |
| Pereira 31 |
26 Sala |
| Olsen 90 |
30 Donadel |