VIAREGGIO – Inter's Primavera side booked their spot in the final of this year's Viareggio Tournament with a superb semi-final showing against Roma this afternoon, the 4-0 final score more than avenging their Coppa Italia defeat at the hands of the Giallorossi a few months ago.
The match - played amidst heavy rain on a veritable mud bath of a pitch - proved to be largely void of noteworthy opportunities in the opening 45 minutes as the players struggled to adjust to the near-impossible conditions.
However, Demetrio Steffè did manage to open the scoring in the 28th minute with a superbly struck volley from 25 yards that skidded past an indecisive Pop in the Roma goal.
The downpour abated in the second half making it marginally easier to play football and this is when Inter killed the game off.
Stefano Vecchi brought on Appiah in place of Camara on the hour mark and the move soon reaped dividends: just seven minutes after his introduction the Ghanaian won a penalty and Roma defender Marchizza was shown a red card for the foul. Federico Bonazzoli stepped up and duly tucked away the spot-kick to make it 2-0.
Barely a minute passed and the substitute got on the scoresheet himself as he pounced on the loose ball and stabbed home following Palazzi's free kick from out on the left.
Tensions escalated as the game drew to a close and the Giallorossi were reduced to nine men when Soleri received his second yellow of the day minutes from time, before Appiah then won another penalty and Roma keeper Pop was sent inside to join his team-mate for an early bath. This time it was the 17-year-old winger who placed the ball on the spot himself before firing past Giallorossi striker Cali, who had to take the gloves and stand in between the sticks.
The 4-0 final scoreline was perhaps a tad harsh on Alberto De Rossi's charges but the Nerazzurri deservedly take their place in the final. Fiorentina or Hellas Verona will provide the opposition at the Stadio Anconetani on Monday, when Inter will be looking to replicate their 2011 success and lift the trophy for the seventh time.
Inter 4-0 Roma (HT 1-0)
Scorers: Steffè 28, Bonazzoli 67 pen, Appiah 69, 90+3 pen.
Inter: 1 Radu; 2 Gyamfi (Crosato 82), 5 Yao, 19 Sciacca (Della Giovanna 75), 3 Dimarco; 4 Steffè, 8 Palazzi, 20 Rocca; 7 Camara (Appiah 60), 9 Bonazzoli (Rapaic 72), 18 Baldini (Popa 42).
Subs not used: 21 Costa, 12 Pissardo, 10 Gnoukouri, 15 Dabo, 16 Ventre.
Coach: Stefano Vecchi.
Roma: 1 Pop; 2 Paolelli (Soleri 39), 4 Calabresi, 15 Marchizza, 13 Anocic; 6 Ndoj, 18 Machin (Ciavattini 70), 20 D'Urso (Pellegrini 39); 22 Njikj (Di Mariano 58), 9 Vestenicky, 7 Ferri.
Subs not used: 23 Faiella, 3 Sammartino, 5 Capradossi, 10 Adamo, 19 Di Livio.
Coach: Alberto De Rossi.
Booked: Soleri 45, Njikj 50, Rapaic 78, Calabresi 78, Palazzi 89, Ferri 89.
Sent off: Vecchi 20 65, Marchizza 68, Soleri 89 (second yellow), Pop 90+1.
Added time: 2 + 3 minutes.
Referee: Serra (Turin).
Assistants :Larotonda, Garavaglia.
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