MILAN – It was the strength of a group that refused to give up and it allowed Inter to come back against Catania and secure a draw in the Week 26 match of the 2011/12 Serie A season.
The Nerazzurri let in two goals in the first 45 minutes of the match; Gomez and Izco punished them in the 20th and 38th minute before Forlan finally ended Inter's drought in the 71st minute. Then Cacha found Milito who evened the score by beating Carrizo and making it 2-2.
FIRST HALF - With Ranocchia injured, Ranieri decided to keep Maicon out of the 18, despite the fact that he was named to the squad yesterday; the Brazilian is still feeling pain in the knee he injured in Marseille and will work to get fit for Chievo. Therefore in defence Nagatomo and Zanetti were the full-backs playing beside Lucio and Samuel in the centre. Sneijder and Juan Jesus started on the bench.
Forlan was the first to have a go after 5 minutes when his right-footer from distance showed power but not the right accuracy. The Uruguayan tried again with a low shot after a series of Nerazzurri corners but Carrizo made the crucial block. Julio Cesar was decisive on 13 minutes when he dropped low to anticipate Lodi. Then immediately following at the other end Forlan forced a double save out of Carrizo after a pass from Lucio. Cacha's raids on the Argentine goalkeeper continued without rest, and in the 16th minute his turn and cross for Milito allowed El Principe to try a scissor kick that was blocked by Catania's number 20. But the Sicilians took advantage of a switch of the play that caught Inter napping; on the edge of offside Gomez (kept onside by Samuel) punished the Nerazzurri when he received a long pass from Barrientos to cut past Nagatomo and beat Julio Cesar to open the scoring. Gomez threatened again, after a cue from Bergessio, but Lucio closed him down for a corner kick.
In the 24th minute a roar erupted in the Meazza when Spolli stopped a pass intended for Milito with a touch between his stomach and arm, but Celi swallowed his whistle. Then Barrientos wasted a golden opportunity when he found himself alone in front of Julio Cesar after a pass from Almiron, but the decisive touch towards the goal failed him. After some delay Catania's second goal arrived in the 38th minute, although it was tainted by offside; Almiron's pass found Gomez who knocked the ball on to Marchese before he crossed – from an offside position – to Izco, allowing the Argentine midfielder to double the visitors' lead. It was 0-2 when both teams went to the dressing rooms.
SECOND HALF – The second half started with Sneijder on in place of Faraoni. In the 54th minute the Dutchman's free kick found the head of Milito whose effort troubled Carrizo just in front of his line, but Celi whistled for an offside infraction from Lucio. At the other end Julio Cesar kept out Catania's third goal; in a one-on-one against Gomez he blocked the ball just before Barrientos attempted to lob in the rebound, which went over the bar. In the 59th minute Motta brought a fright from the Nerazzurri defence when he headed Lodi's cross just a hair wide of the far post. Ranieri then made a double substitution: Poli and Obi on for Cambiasso and Palombo. Inter pressed, but on Forlan's 65th-minute corner Carizzo was again there to block Milito's header. Then finally it was Forlan who – after one month – ended Inter's drought on 71 minutes when the Uruguayan attacker chested down Sneijder's pass, dribbled past Motta and smacked a left-footer that went in off of Carrizo's hands.
It was now 1-2, but Inter were in no mood to give up and once again the Forlan-Milito tandem struck. This time it was in the 80th minute when Cacha picked out El Principe in the box, allowing the Argentine to blast a right-footer into the top corner to make it 2-2. The Nerazzurri kept up the pressure with action from Pazzini but the San Siro trembled when Seymour, alone and face to face with Julio Cesar, make a glaring error, practically passing the ball into the keeper's hands. On 90 minutes Ebagua took a shot but found Julio Cesar ready just before Pazzini had a fantastic chance to see Inter come out as winners; Pazzo controlled Obi's pass with his chest and, two yards from the goal line, fired his effort straight at Carrizo. Immediately afterwards Forlan's long-distance effort was off target. After 3 minutes of injury time the game ended 2-2.
One step at a time and taking it match by match. It may not be much, but it's something: Inter move in the standings and earn a point to bring them to 37 total.
Inter 2-2 Catania (HT: 0-2)
Scorers: Gomez 20, Izco 38, Forlan 71, Milito 80.
Inter: 1 Julio Cesar; 55 Nagatomo, 6 Lucio, 25 Samuel, 4 Zanetti; 37 Faraoni (Sneijder 46), 17 Palombo (Obi 61), 19 Cambiasso (Poli 61), 9 Forlan; 22 Milito, 7 Pazzini.
Unused subs: 12 Castellazzi, 2 Cordoba, 28 Zarate, 40 Juan Jesus.
Coach: Claudio Ranieri.
Catania: 20 Carrizo; 11 Motta, 6 Legrottaglie, 3 Spolli, 12 Marchese; 13 Izco, 10 Lodi, 4 Almiron; 17 Gomez (Llama 87), 18 Bergessio (Ebagua 68), 28 Barrientos (Seymour 76).
Unused subs: 1 Kosiscki, 14 Bellusci, 19 Ricchiuti, 33 Capuano.
Coach: Vincenzo Montella.
Referee: Domenico Celi (Bari).
Booked: Izco 35, Sneijder 75.
Added time: 0+3 minutes.
Attendance: 28,970.
