FLORENCE - Inter were put under pressure after going ahead through Icardi. They withstood Fiorentina’s reaction and missed a couple of chances on the counterattack before Simeone levelled in stoppage time. The match ended 1-1 at the Stadio Franchi with the Nerazzurri moving to 42 points after 20 matches this season.
From the opening minutes, the game was played at a high tempo with both sides looking to attack. After two minutes, Simeone got on the end of a Veretout free kick in the box but wasn’t able to redirect it on target. Chiesa tried in the sixth minute with a left-foot shot on the turn that went over. At the other end, Badelj slid in to intercept the danger from a low Joao Mario cross. In the 14th minute, Thereau benefitted from a mistake in the Nerazzuri defence but fired off target when he had more time to set up a shot. Inter responded three minutes later with a powerful Gagliardini strike from distance and a Perisic’s shot/cross in the 22nd minute. Sportiello was alert in both cases. In the 30th minute, the home side pushed again as Thereau got to a Chiesa cutback but the shot was imprecise. A few seconds later, Perisic got ahead of Laurini and headed Cancelo’s dipping cross but it went high. The Nerazzurri tried again with Vecino’s long shot in the 35th minute but Sportiello brought it down and collected the ball. In the 45th minute, the first chance fell for Icardi but he couldn’t connect with Perisic’s delivery. At the other end, Simeone ran into the box and fired over with his left. After two minutes of stoppage time, the sides went into the break with the score 0-0.
The teams soon headed back out on to the pitch with no changes from either side. The 54th minute saw Chiesa narrowly miss with a fierce left-footed strike, before the Nerazzurri then responded in successful fashion soon after. Earning his side a free kick on the break, Cancelo was subsequently the man to swing in the set piece, as he duly found Icardi at the near post. The Nerazzurri captain’s initial header was miraculously saved by Sportiello, however the Fiorentina goalkeeper could do little about the following rebound, as Mauro scored his 18th goal of the season. Fiorentina swiftly responded and Biraghi forced a solid save from Handanovic in the 58th minute. The Viola continued pushing hard down the right-hand side through Chiesa, whose 64th minute header was deflected by Skriniar and somehow kept out by Handanovic with his body. The hosts had yet another chance in the 72nd minute through Badelj, but he was unable to dispatch his header after a great delivery from Biraghi. Two minutes later then saw Chiesa fire a threatening left-footed strike into the side-netting. The Nerazzurri rediscovered their attacking potency in the 77th minute, as Perisic lofted a fantastic ball over to Borja Valero, although the Spaniard was unable to direct his header on target. Babacar was the next man to try his luck, with Handanovic fortunately on hand to tip his athletic overhead kick over the crossbar. A crucial and decisive chance was missed by Inter just three minutes from the end. Icardi teed up substitute Candreva, who skipped past the goalkeeper but could only find the side-netting. Finally, in the first of the four minutes of added time, Fiorentina scored their equaliser. Having been played in by Eysseric, Simeone fired the ball past Handanovic with his left foot. The last chance of the match fell to Candreva, although Sportiello was there to make the save and ensure that his side snatched a 1-1 draw.
The league will now take a break, with the Nerazzurri next in action at home against Roma on Sunday 21st January at 20:45 CET .
FIORENTINA 1-1 INTER
Goalscorers: 55' Icardi (I), 91' Simeone (F)
FIORENTINA: 57 Sportiello; 2 Laurini, 20 Pezzella, 13 Astori, 3 Biraghi; 24 Benassi (69' 30 Babacar), 5 Badelj, 17 Veretout (86' 28 Gil Dias); 25 Chiesa, 9 Simeone, 77 Thereau (62' 10 Eysseric)
Substitutes: 22 Cerofolini, 99 Dragowski, 4 Milenkovic, 6 Sanchez, 8 Saponara, 15 Maxi Olivera, 19 Cristoforo, 27 Lo Faso, 31 Vitor Hugo
Coach: Stefano Pioli
INTER: 1 Handanovic; 7 Cancelo (82' 87 Candreva), 13 Ranocchia (75' 55 Nagatomo), 37 Skriniar, 21 Santon; 11 Vecino, 5 Gagliardini; 10 Joao Mario (65' 29 Dalbert), 20 B. Valero, 44 Perisic; 9 Icardi
Substitutes: 27 Padelli, 46 Berni, 17 Karamoh, 23 Eder, 77 Brozovic, 98 Lombardoni
Coach: Luciano Spalletti
Bookings: Borja Valero (I), Ranocchia (I), Veretout (F), Astori (F), Icardi (I)
Added time: 2' + 4'
Referee: Valeri
Assistants: Giallatini, Dobosz
Fourth official: Pasqua
VAR operators: Fabbri, La Penna
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