EMPOLI – Inter got straight back to winning ways after the Christmas break with a gutsy and hard-fought victory away against Empoli.
There was very little to separate the two sides over ninety minutes, but the Nerazzurri put in a cohesive team performance in a game that was settled by Icardi's strike just before half-time.
Roberto Mancini lined his players up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Mauro Icardi as the centre-forward flanked by Ivan Perisic and Adem Ljajic. Lorenzo Tonelli was the only absentee for the home side, replaced by Federico Barba, with Riccardo Saponara deployed in the hole behind a front-two of Manuel Pucciarelli and Enzo Maccarone.
Empoli were quickest out of the blocks in the early minutes of the game, keeping possession in Inter's half of the pitch but without creating any clear-cut opportunities.
The first big chance went the Nerazzurri's way when Mario Rui missed a tackle allowing Ljajic to fire a cross into the box, but a last-ditch interception from the home side put the ball out with Icardi lurking dangerously. Empoli responded immediately on the counter attack and Danilo D'Ambrosio showed defensive nous to shackle Saponara in a one-on-one.
Inter began growing into the game and Marcelo Brozovic released a marauding D'Ambrosio down the wing in the 13th minute. The Italian defender worked himself room to swing the cross in, but Andrea Costa was well placed to clear the danger.
Three minutes later, Samir Handanovic's sharp reflexes in goal were called into action twice in rapid succession. First he parried a free-kick from Maccarone and shortly afterwards he was quick off his line to clear at the Empoli skipper's feet.
The first half was being played at a high tempo with the teams matching each other blow for blow, but the contest was short on goalscoring chances. In the 23rd minute, however, Pucciarelli found himself room in the Inter box and laid it off for the onrushing Piotr Zielinski, who couldn't keep his right-footed shot on target.
Around the half-hour mark, two breaks in play with Saponara and Handanovic receiving treatment disrupted the rhythm of the first half. When the game resumed, the Tuscan outfit moved back into the ascendancy, Saponara and Marcel Buchel both creating dangerous openings in the space of a few seconds.
Inter gave a forewarning of what was to come in the 42nd minute when Geoffrey Kondogbia made the most of his considerable physique to keep possession in midfield and then feed Perisic on the edge of the box. Unfortunately, the Croatian couldn't find the target with a first-time strike.
Perisic then turned creator a few minutes later, beating Vincent Laurini with a step-over and firing in a low cross from the byline. Icardi showed all his striking instincts to beat Federico Barba at the near post and poke home beyond Lukasz Skorupski in injury time at the end of the first half.
Neither side made any changes at the break and the first opportunity of the second half fell to Inter. Kondogbia got the move going, with Icardi and Ljajic interchanging passes before the Serbian played in Perisic arriving at full pace. Ivan's touch let him down at the vital moment and Skorupski gathered safely.
There was a heart-in-mouth moment for the Nerazzurri in the 51st minute when Pucciarelli intercepted a pass from Ljajic and immediately released Saponara. The young Italian had two attempts to beat Handanovic, but Inter's No.1 did well to put it behind for a corner.
There were plenty of chances for both teams in an intriguing contest. In the 54th minute, Brozovic pounced on a loose ball in the area and, cutting back onto his right, tried to place it in the far corner but couldn't keep his effort below the bar. Empoli were pressing for an equaliser, while Inter looked dangerous on the counter. Perisic and Ljajic on the wings were both linking well with Icardi but unable to create anything concrete.
The hosts threatened in the 65th minute when Marko Livaja, recently subbed on, escaped down the right and played the ball to Zielinski on the edge of the area, but the Polish midfielder's shot ended up behind. Kondogbia tried to put the game to bed minutes later, but the Frenchman couldn't bend his low powerful shot inside the post.
The best opening of the game for the home side came when Inter misplaced a ball in defence midway through the second half. Saponara found Pucciarelli lurking in a good position, but the presence of Jeison Murillo and Yuto Nagatomo was enough to put the Italian off and Handanovic was able to gather.
Mancini made his first change with ten minutes to go. Fredy Guarin came on for Kondogbia who had picked up a knock moments earlier.
Inter were defending with great concentration and tried to kill the game off with extended spells in possession. The Tuscans had one final chance in the fourth minute of injury time with a free-kick from 25 yards out. Mario Rui's delivery didn't find anyone on the end of it and the game finished here.
With this victory, Inter cling onto top spot and move onto 39 points for the season. Next up for Mancini's men is the visit of Sassuolo to the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on Sunday at 12:30 CET.
EMPOLI 0-1 INTER (HT: 0-1)
Scorer: Icardi 45+1.
EMPOLI: 28 Skorupski; 2 Laurini, 15 Costa, 19 Barba, 21 Mario Rui; 17 Zielinski, 32 Paredes (22 Piu, 86), 77 Buchel (11 Croce, 63); 5 Saponara; 20 Pucciarelli, 7 Maccarone (39 Livaja, 63).
Subs not used: 1 Pugliesi, 23 Pelagotti, 3 Zambelli, 6 Bittante, 13 Maiello, 14 Diousse, 24 Cosic, 31 Camporese, 33 Krunic.
Coach: Marco Giampaolo.
INTER: 1 Handanovic; 33 D'Ambrosio, 25 Miranda, 24 Murillo, 55 Nagatomo; 77 Brozovic, 17 Medel, 7 Kondogbia (13 Guarin, 80), 44 Perisic, 9 Icardi (10 Jovetic, 86), 22 Ljajic (5 Jesus, 90).
Subs not used: 30 Carrizo, 8 Palacio, 11 Biabiany, 12 Telles, 14 Montoya, 21 Santon, 23 Ranocchia, 27 Gnoukouri, 97 Manaj.
Coach: Roberto Mancini.
Yellow cards: Murillo 17, Paredes 26, Brozovic 35, Croce 67.
Additional time: 2+5 minutes.
Referee: Domenico Celi.
Assistant refereees: Fabrizio Posado and Claudio La Rocca.
Fourth official: Espedito Marco Musolino.
Additional assistants: Paolo Tagliavento and Michael Fabbri.
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LE PAROLE DI MISTER MANCINI POST EMPOLI INTER
