RISCONE DI BRUNICO – Inter came through their second pre-season friendly unscathed and produced another four-goal haul to boot as they beat Carpi 4-2 in Riscone di Brunico this afternoon.
The Serie A new boys were certainly a tougher proposition than the Nerazzurri's previous opponents Stuttgarter Kicker (defeated 4-3 on Saturday) but Roberto Mancini's men ultimately proved too much for them. Rodrigo Palacio, Mauro Icardi and Hernanes fired Inter into a 3-1 half-time lead before Samuele Longo notched the fourth after the restart.
Mancini stuck with the same 4-3-1-2 formation seen at the weekend albeit with a few changes in personnel. Samir Handanovic continued between the sticks with Danilo D'Ambrosio at right-back and 19-year-old Federico Dimarco slotting into the left-sided berth. Juan Jesus and Andrea Ranocchia formed the central defensive partnership. Mateo Kovacic sat in the holding role with Geoffrey Kondogbia and Marcelo Brozovic either side, Hernanes in the hole and the Argentine strike pairing of Palacio and Icardi up top.
The match had barely kicked off and Inter were in front. Carpi's No.6 Riccardo Gagliolo dallied on the ball, Kondogbia harried and won it before playing forward to Palacio, who slipped past the defence and finished clinically.
The Nerazzurri immediately set about doubling their lead with Kovacic pulling the strings from deep, Kondogbia bossing the midfield and Dimarco catching the eye out on the left flank. It was enjoyable fare to watch and the crowds packed into the stands showed their appreciation.
Against the run of play Kevin Lasagna popped up at the far post to tuck away Raffaele Bianco's cross and level the scores.
Inter hit back immediately and a move involving Kondogbia and Hernanes ended with D'Ambrosio lofting in a ball for Icardi to head us back in front.
Hernanes almost made it three in the 28th minute when he bamboozled the Capri rearguard and unleashed a vicious effort which took a slight deflection off Maicol Murano before cannoning off the post.
Just four minutes later, however, the Brazilian was handed another chance when some sublime play by Kondogbia and Brozovic resulted in Palacio being played in and subsequently fouled. Hernanes assumed free-kick duties and promptly curled it over the wall and into the top corner, before celebrating with his first backflip of the season.
The opening 45 minutes ended with Carpi on the ropes but the sides went in at the break
Mancini rolled out an entirely new line-up after the break. Radu took the gloves, with Montoya, Andreolli, Popa and Santon lining up in defence, Nagatomo, Taider, Gnoukouri and Baldini in midfield and Longo and Delgado up front.
The second half started as the first had finished, with Carpi on the back foot. And within 60 seconds of the restart, Yuto Nagatomo knocked down for Samuele Longo to finish from close range.
Midway through the half, the hosts worked the ball into space for Gaetano Letizia to deliver an accurate delivery and on-loan Fiorentina striker Ryder Matos beat Ionut Radu for Carpi's second.
It proved to be the last chance of note as the match petered out and finished 4-2 to Inter.
The team depart for China on Saturday and the level of difficulty is set to rocket, with Bayern Munich, AC Milan and Real Madrid providing the opposition for the next three friendlies.
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