Final score

11 April 2009 15:00

Inter
38' Ibrahimovic (P)
15' Balotelli
Palermo
31' (2nd half) Succi
28' (2nd half) Cavani
Referee: Carmine Russo / Linesmen: Comito, Giachero / Fourth official: Gervasoni
Watch highlights
Minute Text commentary
48' Half time. Inter lead Palermo by two goals to nil.
47' Bovo is booked for a tactical foul on Balotelli.
46' Miccoli, who took the captain's armband from Liverani before his substitution, volleys over from a tight angle after a Palermo move down the right.
45' Two minutes of overtime.
45' Muntari blazes over the bar from the left angle of the box after being put through by Ibrahimovic.
43' Ibra serves Stankovic with one of his backheeled passes but Kjaer intercepts and boots to safety.
40' Mario Balotelli fails to control a Maxwell cross into the area as the ball bounces awkwardly. What a great chance to kill off the game for the 18-year-old.
39' That was Zlatan's 20th goal in Serie A this season, and his seventh in as many games against Palermo goalkeeper Amelia.
39' GOAL! Ibrahimovic blasts past Amelia and we're two goals up at the Meazza. INTER 2-0 PALERMO.
38' PENALTY!!!! Kjaer brings down Ibrahimovic in the box. Carmine Russo points straight to the spot.
36' Palermo attack back but Cassani's weak left-foot shot from the edge of the box rolls behind for a goal kick.
36' Maxwell tests Amelia with a long-range effort after Muntari goes down in the box after a late challenge by Migliaccio.
34' Cassani's long-range shot is nothing to write home about. Goal kick to Inter.
33' Fabrizio Miccoli, who has had a quiet game so far, looks for openings in the Inter third but the Nerazzurri win the ball back, come forward on the counter-attack and Muntari has a cross saved by Amelia.
31' Palermo venture into our half and Simplicio's right-wing cross for Cavani is straight into the arms of Francesco Toldo.
30' Stankovic gets into a shooting position after collecting an Ibra pass and tests Amelia with a right-foot shot.
29' Carrozzieri makes a headed clearance from Muntari's left-wing cross.
28' Carrozzieri looks for Cavani with a right-wing cross but his pass is too long for the Palermo forward.
25' Palermo make an early change, with Cesare Bovo replacing injured captain Fabio Liverani.
24' And yet another corner to Inter after Kjaer intercepts Muntari's left-wing cross.
24' Danish defender Kjaer beats Cordoba to Balotelli's corner and heads to safety.
23' Nothing comes of the corner but Inter work the ball back to Balotelli, who wins us another corner kick after a duel with Balzaretti.
22' Balzaretti tackles Santon on the byline. Corner for Inter.
21' Ibra controls Maxwell's left-wing cross with his chest but can't stop the ball from going behind for a goalkick.
19' Palermo on the rack as Ibrahimovic tests Amelia with a fierce diagonal shot from 8 yards.
18' Balotelli close to a second. Muntari floats into the area and SuperMario lifts over the onrushing Amelia but his effort is over the bar.
15' GOAL!!!!!! Totally unmarked in the area, Mario Balotelli heads home Sulley Muntari's left-wing cross. INTER 1-0 PALERMO.
14' Inter win the first corner of the match after Carrozzieri blocks Balotelli's right-wing cross.
13' Balotelli's pass for Stankovic is intercepted and the Rosanero come surging forward on the counter-attack, but Inter regroup quickly, forcing Ballardini's men to backtrack.
10' A chance for Inter. The flag stays down as Ibrahimovic controls Cambiasso's ball over the defence. The Swede lobs Amelia but the ball goes behind for a goalkick.
9' Ibrahimovic looks for Stankovic with a lofted pass into the box but Carrozzieri gets the better of the Serbian midfielder.
7' Muntari floats a ball into the area for Balotelli. Carrozzieri intercepts and heads to Balzaretti who boots upfield.
2' Palermo on the attack in the opening minutes. Maxwell intercepts Simplicio after a run down the right by Cassani. Moments later, Miccoli overhits his through pass for Nocerino and Toldo gathers.
1' Ciao and welcome to the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in Milan's San Siro district for live text commentary of our Easter Saturday fixture against Palermo.
1' Away we go in San Siro. Palermo kick off.
1' Today's match will kick-off after a minute's silence in memory of the Abruzzo earthquake victims. All the players are wearing black armbands while José Mourinho is wearing a black tie as a mark of respect.
1' Palermo: 32 Amelia; 16 Cassani, 24 Kjaer, 80 Carrozzieri, 42 Balzaretti; 8 Migliaccio, 11 Liverani, 33 Nocerino; 30 Simplicio; 7 Cavani, 10 Miccoli.<br> Subs: 1 Ujkani, 4 Tedesco, 5 Bovo, 19 Succi, 23 Bresciano, 25 Savini, 90 Hernandez.
1' Inter: 1 Toldo; 39 Santon, 2 Cordoba, 26 Chivu, 6 Maxwell; 4 Zanetti, 19 Cambiasso, 20 Muntari; 5 Stankovic; 45 Balotelli, 8 Ibrahimovic.<br> Subs: 22 Orlandoni, 7 Figo, 9 Cruz, 14 Vieira, 16 Burdisso, 18 Crespo, 25 Samuel.
1' Toldo for Julio Cesar is Mourinho's only change to the team that beat Udinese 1-0 last Sunday. And Palermo coach Ballardini has made a single change to the side that beat Torino 1-0, with Cassani coming in for Savini at full-back.
1' Francesco Toldo, in for the injured Julio Cesar, is out warming up with Paolo Orlandoni and Vid Belec as we await the outfield players.
1' Inter can open up a massive 12-point gap at the top this afternoon, with second-placed Juventus away to Genoa in today's late game.
1' Zlatan has been banging in the goals since then and he currently sits on top of the scorers list with Bologna's Marco Di Vaio.
1' Inter won the reverse fixture at the Stadio Renzo Barbera last November, courtesy of two second-half goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Minute Text commentary
47' Full time. Palermo hold Inter 2-2. See you next Saturday for the derby d'Italia.
46' Simplicio is booked for a foul on Zanetti.
45' Two minutes of added time.
45' Inter attack back and Santon gets to the left byline before delivering a cross that is saved by Amelia.
44' Miccoli goes close to a late winner for Palermo, curling inches wide after drifting past three opponents.
44' Chivu is yellow-carded for a foul on Cavani.
42' Carrozzieri dispossesses Ibra and boots out for a throw after a mazy run in the box by the Swede. Moments later Stankovic's 25-yard effort takes a deflection off Carrozzieri.
41' Back at the other end Toldo blocks and saves Miccoli's cross for Succi.
40' Switching flanks, Figo has a left-wing cross saved by Amelia.
40' Kjaer heads Figo's cross behind for a corner as Inter hit Palermo on the break.
36' Figo's right-wing cross sails over the heads of Crespo and Ibrahimovic.
34' Mourinho makes a double substitution. Figo replaces Muntari and Crespo comes on for Maxwell.
31' Succi is booked.
31' GOAL. Palermo equalise. Bresciano's high left-wing cross to the far post is played first-time into the path of Succi by Miccoli and the Palermo sub slides under Toldo. INTER 2-2 PALERMO.
30' From close range Succi fails to connect with Miccoli's cross for what would have been a sure second.
29' Cassani swings in a cross from the right. Chivu heads behind for a corner.
29' Mourinho makes a tactical change, with Patrick Vieira coming on for Mario Balotelli.
28' A chance for Inter under the Curva Nord. With the outside of his right foot Ibrahimovic shoots straight at Amelia.
28' GOAL. Palermo hit straight back and reduce the arrears through Cavani, who beats Toldo with an angled shot. INTER 2-1 PALERMO.
26' Toldo pulls off a terrific tipped save from Cavani's curling shot.
26' Kjaer blocks a Balotelli shot and brings the ball out of defence.
23' Bresciano goes close for the Rosanero, volleying inches wide of Toldo's right-hand post after a half-clearance by Maxwell.
20' Dejan Stankovic is booked for a late tackle on Bresciano.
18' Ibrahimovic blocks and clears a Miccoli right-wing free kick .
17' At the other end Amelia saves Ibrahimovic's header.
16' Succi's weak header is easily saved by Toldo.
13' Zlatan Ibrahimovic's free kick is just over Amelia's crossbar.
12' Davide Succi replaces the injured Antonio Nocerino.
12' Free kick to Inter about 30 metres from goal after a foul by Bresciano on Stankovic.
11' Palermo momentarily down to ten men as Nocerino requires medical attention.
10' After a storming run by Ibrahimovic the ball falls to Balotelli, whose curling shot is inches wide of Amelia's left-hand post.
8' Carrozzieri sends wide a flicked header from Simplicio's left-wing cross.
4' Balzaretti's high cross from the left wing is saved by Toldo.
4' Cassani's right-wing cross is headed behind for a corner by Maxwell. Good start to the second half by Palermo.
4' Bovo looks for Cavani with a long ball forward but Chivu blocks and clears with a diving header.
2' The first chance of the second period goes Palermo's way as Toldo blocks a fierce strike from Miccoli.
1' Inter get the second half going.
1' Palermo have brought on Mark Bresciano for Giulio Migliaccio.
Zanetti
6.26
6.26
Cordoba
5.65
5.65
Toldo
5.01
5.01
Crespo
4.9
4.9
Stankovic
5.94
5.94
Cambiasso
6.86
6.86
Figo
5.09
5.09
Maxwell
4.98
4.98
Vieira
3.96
3.96
Ibrahimovic
5.94
5.94
Chivu
5.59
5.59
Balotelli
6.26
6.26
Muntari
5.45
5.45
Santon
5.84
5.84
Average rating 5.55
4 shots on target 5
4 shots off target 5
16 fouls committed 13
5 corners 4
1 offsides 5
33:00 ball possession 27:29
Mourinho v Palermo/Ballardini

Inter's victory in the reverse fixture at the Stadio Renzo Barberi is José Mourinho's only previous encounter against Palermo and their coach Ballardini.

Details:
2008/09 Serie A Inter-Palermo ---- 2-0

Ballardini v Inter

Davide Ballardini meets Inter for the third time after two defeats.

Details:
2007/08 Serie A Cagliari-Inter ---- 1-2
2008/09 Serie A Palermo-Inter 0-2 ----

Disciplinary info:


Inter
Cautioned: Ibrahimovic, Julio Cesar, Zanetti.
Disqualified: -

Palermo
Cautioned: Liverani, Simplicio.
Disqualified: -

Inter on target in 21 consecutive games

The Nerazzurri have scored in each of their last 21 Serie A matches, scoring a total of 42 goals - exactly two goals per game. Their last league match without scoring was the 0-0 draw at Fiorentina on 29 October. Mourinho's team haven't conceded in 393 competitive minutes, since Brighi's goal in the 57th minute of Inter 3-3 Roma.

Inter's 13-month unbeaten at home in domestic competitions

Inter haven't lost a home game in a national competition since their 2-1 defeat to Juventus in Serie A on 22 March 2008. The Nerazzurri have since played 22 league, cup and super cup matches at home, winning 15 and drawing 7. Inter are the only team still unbeaten at home in the 2008/09 Serie A championship.

Super Ibra

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the most decisive player in the 2008/09 Serie A after 29 rounds of matches. The Swedish striker's goals have earned his team 23 of their 72 points. With 19 league goals from 29 games, Ibrahimovic has matched his record tally for one campaign, set in 2004/05 when he scored 3 for Ajax before adding 16 for Juventus. He has, therefore, already bettered by two goals his record of 17 goals in one Italian season (with Inter in 2007/08). With 11 goals in 2009, Ibrahimovic is one of three top scorers in all Italian competitions this year. The others are Sampdoria's Pazzini and Serie B side Montichiari's Fausto Ferrari. Zlatan has scored Serie A 9 goals since the turn of the new year - that's more than any other player.

Ballardini set for milestone

Palermo coach Davide Ballardini will celebrate his 100th league match as a coach in Saturday's game against Inter. Ballardini, who has coached Sambenedettese, Cagliari, Pescara and Palermo, made his debut in Sambenedettese 0-0 Giulianova (Serie C1) on 12 September 2004. His 99 matches (37 wins, 26 draws and 36 defeats) are subdivided as follows: 59 in Serie A, 6 in Serie B and 34 in Serie C1.

Ballardini's Palermo on course to match club record

With 14 wins (11 at home and 3 away), Ballardini's Palermo are on course to beat the club's record of victories in one Serie A season: 16 in 2006/07.

DA IMPLEMENTARE
wins(20) draws(9) defeats(0)

MILAN - Mario Balotelli and Zlatan Ibrahimovic had first-half goals cancelled out by second-half efforts from Edinson Cavani and Davide Succi as Palermo held Inter 2-2 at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.

It was one-way traffic in the opening period of the Serie A Week 31 clash, with Inter's 18-year-old striker nodding home the opener on 14 minutes before Ibrahimovic added the second from the penalty spot six minutes before the break.

Despite a strong start to the second half by the visitors, Inter looked to be on course for a 23rd league win but Cavani and Succi scored in the space of three minutes to force the draw.

Francesco Toldo for Julio Cesar between the sticks was Mourinho's only change to the team that beat Udinese 1-0 last Sunday. Palermo coach Ballardini also made also one switch to the team that beat Torino by the same score last weekend, bringing in Cassani for Savini at right-back.

The Easter Saturday fixture kicked off after a minute's silence to remember the Abruzzo earthquake victims. All the players wore black armbands while Mourinho donned a black tie as a mark of respect.

Inter had an early chance when the flag stayed down after Ibrahimovic controlled Cambiasso's through ball and lobbed Amelia but his effort was off-target. Balotelli did better five minutes after, rising totally unmarked in the area to head Muntari's left-wing cross beyond a hapless Amelia for his seventh goal in all competitions this season.

SuperMario went close to a quick second, lifting Muntari's floated pass over Amelia and the crossbar before Ibrahimovic tested the Palermo custodian with a fierce angled drive.

Amelia pulled off more saves from Stankovic and Maxwell but there was nothing he could do to stop Ibrahimovic topping the scorers list with his 20th of the season with a powerful penalty kick after a foul in the area by Kjaer.

Palermo came out for the second half all guns blazing but the first chance fell to Balotelli whose curling shot missed by a matter of inches. Rosanero substitute Bresciano volleyed narrowly wide and Toldo made a splendid tipped save from Cavani as the visitors continued their search for a goal.

Their first came in the 73rd minute when Cavani fired diagonal shot past Toldo. The second arrived three minutes later when Bresciano delivered a cross to the back post and Miccoli played first-time into the path of Succi who slid home from close range.

Miccoli went close to a late winner, curling inches wide after drifting past three opponents.

Inter 2-2 Palermo (HT: 2-0)

Scorers: Balotelli 15, Ibrahimovic (pen) 39, Cavani 73, Succi 76.

Inter: 1 Toldo; 39 Santon, 2 Cordoba, 26 Chivu, 6 Maxwell (18 Crespo 79); 4 Zanetti, 19 Cambiasso, 20 Muntari (7 Figo 79); 5 Stankovic; 45 Balotelli (14 Vieira 74), 8 Ibrahimovic.
Subs not used: 22 Orlandoni, 9 Cruz, 16 Burdisso, 25 Samuel.
Coach: José Mourinho.

Palermo: 32 Amelia; 16 Cassani, 24 Kjaer, 80 Carrozzieri, 42 Balzaretti; 8 Migliaccio (23 Bresciano 46), 11 Liverani (5 Bovo 70), 33 Nocerino (19 Succi 57); 30 Simplicio; 7 Cavani, 10 Miccoli.
Subs not used: 1 Ujkani, 4 Tedesco, 25 Savini, 90 Hernandez.
Coach: Davide Ballardini.

Referee: Carmine Russo (Nola).

Booked: Bovo 45+2, Stankovic 65, Succi 76, Chivu 89, Simplicio 90+1.

starting lineups

Toldo 1 Amelia
Santon 39 Cassani
Cordoba 2 Kjaer
Chivu 26 Carrozzieri
Maxwell 6 Balzaretti
Zanetti 4 Migliaccio
Cambiasso 19 Liverani
Muntari 20 Nocerino
Stankovic 5 Simplicio
Balotelli 45 Cavani
Ibrahimovic 8 Miccoli

substitutes

Orlandoni 22 Ujkani
Figo 7 Tedesco
Crespo 18 Bovo
Cruz 9 Succi
Vieira 14 Bresciano
Burdisso 16 Savini
Samuel 25 Hernandez