MILAN – Joseph Campbell defined a hero as "an ordinary human being who does the best of things in the worst of times”. Indeed, heroes are very often defined as such in the precise moment they accomplish their feat, rising above the circumstances to alter the course of destiny.
In football as in life, there are times when all seems lost. On 27 February 2008 Inter were losing 1-0 at home to Roma and the clock was rapidly ticking down.
The Nerazzurri's attempts to breach the Giallorossi defence had thus far been thwarted, Hernan Crespo in particular frustrated by the post and Doni in the Roma goal.
The Italian champions were staring in the face of their first league defeat of the season. Having drawn at Sampdoria in their previous fixture, Roberto Mancini's men were on the verge of seeing their title rivals make up five points in the space of four days, reducing the gap at the top to six points with plenty of games still to play.
It was probably the toughest moment of the season for Inter, halfway through their Champions League tie with Liverpool and having to contend with a number of injury problems. Walter Samuel, Ivan Ramiro Cordoba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic – all mainstays of the side – were missing for the match against Roma. Inter had barely dropped any points up to that stage, sweeping aside all manner of opponents along the way, but now their unbeaten league record was seriously at threat.
The Nerazzurri had been reduced to 10 men midway through the second half following yet another injury, Maxwell stretchered off after all the subs had been used up (numerical parity was restored in the 84th minute when Philippe Mexes collected a second yellow).
The San Siro faithful scoured the pitch looking for a sign. No hero was forthcoming. Like in any good twist to the tale, he would appear only when the moment was ripe. When all seemed lost. In the worst of times.
It was the 88th minute and Doni had just pulled off a miraculous one-handed stop to deny Crespo. Inter took a corner and throw-in in quick succession, the ball was cleared to just outside the box and it dropped for Zanetti. The captain, who had totalled 11 Serie A goals in 12 and a half seasons up till then, was hardly the prime candidate to produce a spectacular match winner on a difficult night. But that is precisely what made his deed all the more heroic.
Javier controlled the ball carrying it a couple of yards forward on the bounce between two Roma shirts. He swung his leg and all eyes watched as the ball arched gently and ever so sweetly into the bottom corner beyond the outstretched arm of Doni.
A joyful Zanetti turned and raced back towards midfield seemingly aimlessly – almost an unwitting hero.
It turned out to be his last Serie A goal for Inter and a decisive one too. The Nerazzurri were taken down to the wire by Roma and ended up reclaiming the Scudetto by a handful of points, clinched in a few key moments.
Like that February night at the Meazza when an ordinary – but unique – human being chose the worst of times to do the best of things.
Alessandro Bai
