SARZANA - Inter U19s were made to pay for their first-half profligacy as they lost 3-1 to Spezia in their second Viareggio Cup match this afternoon.
The Nerazzurri carved out a host of chances in the opening period but a combination of the woodwork, fine goalkeeping, goal-line clearances, and frankly poor finishing meant they had nothing to show for it.
Spezia - who had barely been in the contest up until that point - then opened the scoring through Filipovic in the 37th minute to take a goal's advantage in at the break.
Inter levelled the scores three minutes after the interval when Gyamfi headed in from a corner but Filipovic struck again five minutes later to restore Spezia's lead.
Gyamfi and Appiah squandered the chance to make it 2-2 before Filipovic confirmed his role as villian of the day by completing his hat-trick.
After a win and a defeat, the Primavera will now have to earn their place in the knockout stage when they take on Australian outfit APIA Leichhardt on Saturday.
Inter 1-3 Spezia (HT 0-1)
Scorers: Filipovic 37, 54, 70, Gyamfi 44.
Inter: 1 Radu; 2 Gyamfi, 5 Gravillon (13 Mattioli 63), 6 Della Giovanna (25 Lombardoni 71), 23 Cagnano (3 Sobacchi 63); 4 Tchaoule (7 Zonta 63), 15 Carraro (8 Bonetto 62); 22 Appiah, 19 Rapaic (9 Correia 52), 11 Kouame, 10 Baldini (17 Bakayoko 52).
Subs not used: 12 Pissardo, 21 Di Gregorio, 26 Chiarion, 16 De Micheli.
Coach: Stefano Vecchi.
Spezia: 22 Saloni; 15 Schiattarella, 2 Terminello (16 Mosti 80+4), 3 Barbato; 13 Paljk (5 Loho 63), 8 Antezza, 4 Badiali, 10 Maggiore, 23 Candela (19 Cito 72); 9 Okereke, 20 Filipovic.
Subs not used: 1 Fontana, 12 Correa, 6 Grieco, 7 Demofonti, 11 Faiola, 17 Tardo, 18 Paccagnini, 21 Sanchez, 25 Ferri, 26 Maione.
Coach: Fabio Gallo.
Booked: Rapaic 4, Badiali 56, Schiattarella 80.
Sent off: Vecchi 75.
Added time: 2+4 minutes.
Referee: Gianmarco Capezzi (Valdarno).