CASTEGNATO – Jose Correia grabbed a second-half equaliser for Inter as a largely experimental Primavera side earned a 1-1 draw at Brescia this afternoon, extending their unbeaten run to 16 games.
Having already booked their place in the Final Eight with five matches to spare, Stefano Vecchi opted to freshen up his starting line-up and hand some game time to players who have featured less this term.
The Nerazzurri started brightly enough with Correia a livewire up front, yet it was the hosts who got their noses in fromt in the 19th minute when Strada turned Forlani's wayward shot into the net.
After the restart, Inter's Guinea-Bissauan forward was in the right place at the right time to fire home the leveller after Gagno could only parry Rocca's effort. 18-year-old 'Ze Turbo', who joined in January, has now netted four in his last five games.
Vecchi wanted to win the match and switched to an attack-minded 4-4-2 following the introduction of Appiah and Ventre, but for all their probing and chances Inter couldn't complete the turnaround. Indeed it required a big save from Costa late on to deny Barawe a winner for Brescia.
Despite the two dropped points, the Under-19s remain above local rivals AC Milan at the top of Group B with four games left to play. Next Saturday there's a rearranged Week 21 fixture against Pescara at the Stadio Breda (11:00).
Brescia 1-1 Inter (HT 1-0)
Scorers: Strada 19, Correia 53.
Brescia: 1 Gagno; 2 Rizzola, 4 Rocchi, 6 Bruno, 3 Venturi; 8 Comotti (Provenzano 68), 5 Forlani, 7 Said; 11 Bithiene (Masperi 87), 9 Boggian, 10 Strada (Baraye 74).
Subs not used: 12 Lancini, 13 Ervini, 14 Cistana, 15 Antwi, 16 Mozzanica, 20 Zojzi, 21 Camara, 22 Bondioli.
Coach: Davide Possanzini.
Inter: 1 Costa; 2 Yao, 5 Sciacca, 6 Santos, 3 Miangue (Steffè 83); 8 Bonetto, 4 De Micheli (Ventre 74), 10 Rocca; 7 Camara, 9 Correia, 11 Rapaic (Appiah 61).
Subs not used: 12 Pissardo, 13 Popa, 14 Della Giovanna, 15 Lomolino, 16 Tchaoulè, 17 Delgado.
Coach: Stefano Vecchi.
Booked: Bruno 13, De Micheli 49, Rocchi 83, Steffè 87, Camara 89.
Referee: Luca Massimi (Termoli).
Assistants: Rossi, Locatelli (Novara).