VIGASIO – Stefano Vecchi's Primavera side picked up their first league victory of 2016 today against Hellas Verona, after two TIM Cup wins against Roma in the quarter-finals and Lazio in the semi-final first leg.
Loris Zonta's strike 29 minutes into the second half was enough to settle the contest at the Stadio Comunale and ensure Inter go home with all three points.
The first half was a balanced affair, with Inter dictating the play but not creating too much danger around the home side's penalty area. The Nerazzurri could have troubled the Gialloblu back-line from various set-pieces gained by Andrea Pinamonti but were let down by inaccuracy.
Massimo Pavanel's boys were occupying the spaces well and trying to hit Inter on the counter-attack. Their best chance of the half came in the 22nd minute, with Ionut Andrei Radu getting safely behind an effort from the Hellas Verona No.9.
The hosts came into the second half with more conviction and came close to taking the lead on two occasions around the 55th minute, first striking the post after a corner and then actually putting the ball in the net only for the referee to rule it out for a foul on Radu.
Vecchi tried to freshen things up with substitutions in the 62nd and 72nd minute, off came Boris Rapaic and Pedro Delgado to be replaced by Loris Zonta and Jose Correia. It proved a master stroke as the two subs combined to give Inter the lead in the 74th minute: Correia fed Zonta who rounded the goalkeeper and stuck it in the net for 1-0.
Pavanel tried to respond with some changes off his own, but it was Inter who still looked the most likely to double their advantage. With ten minutes left to play, Correia narrowly missed the target from the six-yard box with just the keeper to beat.
There was time for another great Nerazzurri opportunity in stoppage time: Enrico Baldini beat the Hellas Verona goalkeeper but had his shot agonisingly blocked on the line by a defender.
Inter thus head back to Milan with three points and, in the wake of Chievo Verona's draw yesterday, have closed the gap on second place to just one point.
HELLAS VERONA 0-1 INTER
Scorer: Zonta (74).
HELLAS VERONA: 1 Salvetti, 2 Pavan, 3 Badan, 4 Hoxha (19 Dagnoni, 77), 5 Contri, 6 Riccardi, 7 Tronco, 8 Salifu, 9 Tupta, 10 Speri (16 Pellacani, 31), 11 Lancia (17 Buxton, 77).
Subs: 12 Vencato, 13 Gilli, 14 Casale, 15 Pinton, 16 Pellacani, 17 Buxton, 18 Dentale, 19 Dagnoni.
Coach: Massimo Pavanel.
INTER: 1 Radu; 2 Gyamfi, 5 Gravillon, 6 Popa, 3 Cagnano; 7 Delgado (20 Correia, 72), 4 Carraro, 8 Bonetto, 10 Baldini; 9 Pinamonti (16 Tchaoule, 87), 11 Rapaic (18 Zonta, 62).
Subs: 12 Pissardo, 13 Chiarion, 14 Sobacchi, 15 Vanheusden, 17 De Micheli, 19 Bollini.
Coach: Stefano Vecchi.
Yellow cards: Delgado 25, Pellacani 40, Cagnano 45+1.
Additional time: 1+4 minutes.
Referee: G. Lanciano.
Assistants: Trivelli and Marcolin.
