MILAN - Luciano Spalletti’s Inter turned up and are fully in the running for Champions League football. In front of 47,000 fans at San Siro, it was complete domination for the Nerazzurri in the 33rd match of the Serie A TIM season. Inter won 4-0 against Cagliari thanks to goals from Cancelo, Icardi, Brozovic and Perisic and the result takes the team up to 63 points in the table, two points ahead of Roma and Lazio who both play tomorrow.
After just three minutes, Inter were already ahead. Joao Cancelo took a free kick from the left, nobody got a touch on it and it carried on through into the corner of the net beyond Cragno. The Portuguese’s first goal of the season set the tone for the Nerazzurri who created multiple chances. In the ninth minute, Rafinha played it to Perisic but his left-foot effort was put out for a corner by Cragno. Three minutes later, there was a big chance for Karamoh. The ball was perfectly set up by Icardi but he fired wide from a brilliant position. Karamoh then went close again in the 22nd minute from a D’Ambrosio cross but his volley went out off the top of the bar. A few seconds later, Cragno pulled off a miraculous save from Rafinha’s left-foot effort after he was set up by Icardi. The pressure subsided in the 37th minute when Gagliardini was forced to come off with a muscular issue and Borja Valero came on. Inter closed the half on the front foot, spectacular interplay created space for Perisic who delivered a low cross but Castan made a block from Icardi at the last moment.
After the break, Inter didn’t allow the tempo to drop and made it 2-0. In the 50th minute, Karamoh knocked it forwards to Rafinha who found Icardi who made no mistake after going clean through on the goalkeeper. The next goal followed soon after the 60th minute. Marcelo Brozovic used his skill to let fly with an unstoppable right-foot curler from inside the box. Inter were in complete control. In the 72nd minute, Cragno stopped another Karamoh shot. Two minutes later, Icardi went just wide from Rafinha’s cross. There was some drama in the 84th minute when play was stopped to consult VAR. The ball hit Andreolli’s arm in the box but a corner was awarded rather than a penalty. In the 90th minute, the fourth goal arrived after Brozovic squared the ball to Perisic who fired home with an accurate left-foot strike from the edge of the box. The match finished like that with Luciano Spalletti’s side comfortably winning 4-0.
Now, focus turns to Sunday’s match at the Stadio Bentegodi against ChievoVerona while we await the results from direct rivals.
#ForzaInter!
INTER 4-0 CAGLIARI
Goals: 3' Cancelo (I), 50'Icardi (I), 60' Brozovic (I), 90' Perisic (I)
INTER: 1 Handanovic; 7 Cancelo, 37 Skriniar, 25 Miranda, 33 D'Ambrosio; 5 Gagliardini (37' 20 B. Valero), 77 Brozovic; 17 Karamoh (76' 87 Candreva), 8 Rafinha, 44 Perisic; 9 Icardi
Bench: 27 Padelli, 46 Berni, 2 Lisandro, 11 Vecino, 13 Ranocchia, 21 Santon, 23 Eder, 29 Dalbert, 99 Pinamonti
Coach: Luciano Spalletti
CAGLIARI: 28 Cragno; 56 Romagna, 3 Andreolli, 15 Castan; 20 Padoin (54' 22 Lykogiannis), 7 Cossu (73' 38 Caligara), 21 Ionita, 12 Miangue; 25 Sau (50' 16 Faragò); 9 Giannetti, 24 Ceter
Bench: 1 Rafael, 26 Crosta, 19 Pisacane, 23 Ceppitelli, 30 Pavoletti, 32 Han, 33 Kouadio, 35 Tetteh
Coach: Diego Lopez
Bookings: Brozovic (I), Giannetti (I)
Stoppage Time: 3' + 0'
Referee: Pasqua
Assistants: La Rocca, Tolfo
Fourth Official: Di Paolo
VAR Operators: Mariani, Preti
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