ALTOPASCIO – Inter U19s sailed into the Viareggio Cup knockout stage thanks to a comprehensive 5-0 demolition of APIA Leichhardt in their third and final group match today.
The Nerazzurri needed a win to be sure of progressing and they made no mistake about it against the Australian side, Cristian Kouame quickly settling any nerves when he broke the deadlock in the ninth minute after the keeper could only parry Jose Correia's effort.
It was the Ivorian frontman's first goal for Inter since joining from Prato in the January transfer window and he only had to wait six minutes for his second. Axel Bakayoko's pass was dummied by Correia allowing Kouame to curl in beyond Williamson in the Australian goal.
There was no let-up from Stefano Vecchi's charges and with less than 20 minutes on the clock Correia slipped away from Van Den Berg and rifled past the Tigers keeper for Inter's third.
The coach shuffled his pack at half time, opting to rest Andreaw Gravillon, Fabio Della Giovanna and Kouame and replace them with Andrea Cagnano, Manuel Lombardoni and Mattia Chiarion. Charion wasted little time before announcing himself on the game as he made it 4-0 with a neat finish at the far post nine minutes after entering the fray.
Samuel Darko Appiah – another substitute – then added a fifth in the 68th minute for the Nerazzurri to cap off a dominant display.
The result sees Inter qualify for the Viareggio Cup knockout stage as Group 1 runners-up on six points, behind Spezia. They will learn who their next opponents are when the draw for the last 16 – to be played on Wednesday 23 March – takes place on Sunday.
Inter 5-0 APIA Leichhardt (HT 3-0)
Scorers: Kouame 9, 15, Correia 19, Chiarion 49, Appiah 68.
Inter: 21 Di Gregorio; 13 Mattioli, 5 Gravillon (25 Chiarion 41), 6 Della Giovanna (25 Lombardoni 40), 3 Sobacchi; 15 Carraro, 8 Bonetto (16 De Micheli 51); 17 Bakayoko (8 Zonta 58), 9 Correia (22 Appiah 51), 11 Kouame (23 Cagnano 40), 10 Baldini.
Subs not used: 1 Radu, 12 Pissardo, 2 Gyamfi.
Coach: Stefano Vecchi.
APIA Leichhardt: 1 Williamson, 2 Gulisano (21 Zander 76), 3 Adattini, 4 McCarron (11 Rinaldi 40), 5 Cook, 6 Stewart, 7 Browning (16 Lenin-Parker 76), 8 Van Den Berg (12 Icary 62), 9 Cortese (18 Turpeinen 62), 10 Cox, 13 Nasrabadi (14 Travia 76).
Subs not used: 17 Sallo, 19 Mellino, 20 Theuma.
Coach: Danial Cummins.
Added time: 0+2 minutes.
Referee: Di Cairano (Ariano Irpino).
Assistants: Carnevale, Fontemurato.
