TURIN - Inter put in a solid display to emerge from a packed Stadio Olimpico with all three points after beating Torino 2-0. Milito stroked home in the 13th minute to give the Nerazzurri the lead, then Cassano came off the bench in the second half and put the game to bed on 83 minutes.
FIRST HALF – Handanovic returned from injury to make his league debut for the Nerazzurri while Stramaccioni opted for youth at the heart of defence in the shape of Ranocchia and Juan Jesus. Jonathan and Nagatomo completed the defensive line. Zanetti, Guarin, Cambiasso and Pereira made up the four-man midfield with Sneijder in the hole behind Milito.
Torino started strongly as they looked to reward the home fans, Sgrigna, Santana and Bianchi all getting into dangerous positions early on. Inter were struggling to get their game going but one half chance was all Milito needed to fire the Nerazzurri in front. Gazzi's poor control in the 13th minute inadvertently teed up the Prince on the edge of the box and the frontman smashed an unstoppable right-footed effort across goal into the corner.Torino produced an immediate response as Ogbonna drove a shot in from outside the box, Handanovic diving to make the catch. Bianchi was booked for sliding in on Pereira with his studs up in the 22nd minute, a challenge that surely warranted a red.
Sneijder tested Gillet in the 26th minute with a brilliant curling free kick but the Toro custodian - like his opposite number - was limiting the scoreline to a single goal. Inter began closing down their opponents higher up the pitch and Toro were finding it increasingly difficult to get out of their own half.
However, Handanovic was called into to action to deny Bianchi six minutes before half time, then did well to snatch the ensuing corner away from Ogbonna. Down the other end, Guarin played Milito in on goal, the keeper saved but the flag was up anyway.
After three minutes of added time, Inter took a 1-0 lead into the dressing rooms at half time.
SECOND HALF – Jonathan made way for Alvarez during the break, the Argentine returning to first-team action after months on the sidelines following his knee problem.
Torino began the second period with intent and three minutes in Sgrigna struck the post, though he was offside. Brighi then drove forward down the middle before laying off for Sgrigna, who teed up Santana, before Ranocchia nipped in just to time to whisk the ball away (51 minutes). The defender stood tall at the back tonight, as did Juan Jesus.
Sneijder's long-range curler wasn't far off target a minute later, and Bianchi found himself in a good position just after the hour mark but shot down the middle, allowing Handanovic to gather easily.
Torino then put together a great counter-attacking move that ended with Bianchi hitting a stunning volley from Meggiorini's cross - fortunately straight at Handanovic's knee. And moments later another chance went begging for the Granata, as Meggiorni failed to hit the target after Ogbonna's ball.
Torino were on top for a while but after Cassano and Gargano had replaced Sneijder and Guarin, the Italy striker doubled Inter's lead in the 82nd minute. Alvarez zipped in a low cross, FantAntonio controlled and banged the ball home on the spin. His second goal in black and blue stripes.
That was enough to take the sting out of the hosts and after three minutes of stoppage time the Nerazzurri sealed their second away win of the campaign, taking them up to six points.
Torino 0-2 Inter (HT: 0-1)
Scorers: Milito 13, Cassano 83.
Torino:
1 Gillet, 36 Darmian, 25 Glik, 6 Ogbonna, 17 S.Masiello; 33 Brighi, 14
Gazzi; 19 Stevanovic (Cerci 57), 10 Sgrigna (Meggiorini 57), 9
Bianchi (Sansone 76), 7 Santana.
Unused subs: 23 Gomis, 2 Rodriguez, 3 D'Ambrosio, 4 Basha, 5 Di Cesare, 20 Vives, 77 Verdi.
Coach: Giampiero Ventura.
Inter: 1
Handanovic; 42 Jonathan (Alvarez 46), 23 Ranocchia, 40 Juan Jesus,
55 Nagatomo; 4 Zanetti, 14 Guarin (Gargano 81), 19 Cambiasso, 31
Pereira; 10 Sneijder (Cassano 66); 22 Milito.
Unused subs: 12 Castellazzi, 27 Belec, 6 Silvestre, 7 Coutinho, 8 Palacio, 25 Samuel, 41 Duncan, 44 Bianchetti, 88 Livaja.
Coach: Andrea Stramaccioni.
Referee: Luca Banti (Livorno).
Booked: Bianchi 22, Masiello 25, Juan Jesus 35, Nagatomo 38, Gazzi 71, Guarin 78, Glik 89.
Added time: 3 + 3 minutes.
