MILAN – Roberto Mancini saw his Nerazzurri side slip to a 0-1 defeat at the hands of Torino at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza today, with Emiliano Moretti heading in a last-minute corner to hand his side all three points.
Inter set up with Andreolli and Vidic in the heart of the defence, with an attacking trio of Palacio, Kovacic and Podolski playing just behind Mauro Icardi. Giampiero Ventura’s Torino are a good footballing side, however, and knew exactly how to approach what was undoubtedly a tough away match for the Granata.
Space was heavily restricted for the Nerazzurri, with bodies clogging up the centre of the park. Nonetheless, Inter were very much in the ascendency during the first 15 minutes of the match, especially when Guarin’s shot worried Padelli in the 11th minute. Podolski also tested the Granata goalkeeper, after the German was slipped in by the fleet-footed Palacio. Icardi, too, saw a good header saved by the Torino stopper.
Guarin and Kuzmanovic were well in control of proceedings, touching the ball no less than 131 times in the first half alone. Indeed, it was Kuz who won the ball back to set Kovacic through, but the Croatian’s ball for Palacio was just a fraction too long, allowing Moretti to put it behind for a corner. The Nerazzurri continued to threaten through Obi, but the Nigerian’s left-footed effort finished just wide. Mancini was forced into an early change on 44 minutes, with Andreolli having to make way for Ranocchia.
Torino started the second half on the attack, but it was Podolski who nearly broke the deadlock. His shot from the corner of the area had to be punched clear by Padelli. The visitors were certainly growing into the game by this point, gaining control of the midfield and threatening through Martinez and Fernerud, who latched onto a Benassi pass only to shoot high and wide.
On 72 minutes, the Granata went close once more. Molinaro worked the ball onto his right before drawing a smart save from Handanovic. With Torino on top, Shaqiri was brought on in place of the injured D’Ambrosio, before Podolski too made way, this time for Donkor. The young Ghanaian instantly bought a foul from Gazzi, but the free-kick came to nothing.
Inter were close taking the lead in the 83rd minute. First Kuzmanovic set up Vidic, with the Serb just unable to make contact, then Obi couldn’t steer the rebound goalwards.
With the match seemingly destined to finish 0-0, Moretti popped up to deliver a real sucker punch to Roberto Mancini’s side. Maxi Lopez got up to flick on a corner from the right, finding Moretti unmarked in the six-yard box to head home.
INTER 0-1 TORINO
Scorers: (Moretti 90+4)
INTER: 1 Handanovic; 33 D'Ambrosio (Shaqiri 56), 15 Vidic, 6 Andreolli (Ranocchia 44), 20 Obi; 13 Guarin, 17 Kuzmanovic; 8 Palacio, 10 Kovacic, 11 Podolski (Donkor 67); 9 Icardi.
Subs not used: 30 Carrizo, 46 Berni, 22 Dodo, 28 Puscas, 44 Krhin, 88 Hernanes, 97 Bonazzoli.
Coach: Roberto Mancini.
TORINO: 30 Padelli; 14 Maksimovic (Bovo 81), 25 Glik, 24 Moretti; 36 Darmian, 94 Benassi, 14 Gazzi, 8 Farnerud (El Kaddouri 67), 3 Molinaro; 17 Martinez (Lopez 57), 27 Quagliarella.
Subs not used: 1 Gillet, 13 Castellazzi, 18 Jansson, 20 Vives, 21 Gaston Silva, 22 Amauri, 32 S. Masiello.
Coach: Giampiero Ventura.
Booked: D'Ambrosio (52), Gazzi (75), Icardi (79), Darmian (85).
Added time: 3 + 4 mins.
Referee: Irrati.
Assistants: Longo, Petrella.
Fourth official: Meli.
Additional assistants: Valeri, Nasca.
Versión Española 日本語版 Versi Bahasa Indonesia Versione Italiana
LE PAROLE DI MISTER MANCINI POST INTER TORINO
