FLORENCE - A goal from Facundo Colidio wasn’t enough for the Nerazzurri on Wednesday afternoon, as they lost out to Fiorentina in the Primavera TIM Cup semi-final. The odds were stacked against them after a 1-0 defeat during the first leg, with the Viola also winning during the return fixture after Beloko and Vlahovic both got on the scoresheet.
Inter started the match well and instantly piled pressure on their opponents. This paid off in the eighth minute when Colidio met a right-sided cross from Zappa and fired the Nerazzurri in front. Five minutes later Armando Madonna’s U19 outfit also had a great chance to double their lead, although Salcedo could only hit the post before Colidio missed the rebound. The 18th minute also saw a chance for Ntube who met a free-kick from Pompetti but he failed to direct his header on target. Fiorentina’s first chance came through Vlahovic in the 29th minute, although he shot narrowly wide fortunately for the Inter defence. However, Bigica’s side duly found their equaliser just before the interval, as Beloko struck from outside the area.
After the break, the Nerazzurri nearly scored through Gavioli whose header went just over, and with the away side’s luck very much out, Colidio’s header then hit the crossbar four minutes later. With Inter on the front foot and Fiorentina lying in wait, the hosts crushed the Nerazzurri’s hopes of qualifying in the 87th minute after Vlahovic beat Dekic on the counter-attack.
The final 2-1 result eliminates Armando Madonna’s side from the competition and ensures that Bigica’s Fiorentina advance to the final.
FIORENTINA 2-1 INTER
Goalscorers: 8' Colidio, 45' Beloko, 87' Vlahovic
FIORENTINA: 1 Ghidotti, 2 Ponsi, 3 Simonti, 4 Gillekens, 5 Antzoulas, 6 Beloko, 7 Montiel (91' Pierozzi N. 19), 8 Hanuljak, 9 Vlahovic, 10 Maganjic (81’ Nannelli 21), 11 Meli
Substitutes: 12 Chiorra, 14 Pierozzi E., 15 Dutu, 16 Fiorini, 17 Gorgos, 18 Longo, 20 Koffi, 22 Campagnol, 23 Kukovec, 24 Simic
Coach: Emiliano Bigica
INTER: 1 Dekic; 2 Zappa, 4 Nolan, 6 Ntube, 3 Corrado; 8 Gavioli, 5 Pompett (68' Grassini 13), 7 Burgio (46' Roric 20); 11 Persyn (68' Esposito 23), 10 Colidio, 9 Salcedo
Substitutes: 12 Pozzer, 21 Gerardi, 14 Colombini, 15 Van Den Eynden, 16 Rizzo, 17 Attys, 18 Demirovic, 19 Mulattieri, 22 Gianelli
Coach: Armando Madonna
Bookings: Hanuljak (72'), Colidio (72'), Vlahovic (87')
Added time: 1' - 4'
Referee: Alberto Santoro (Messina)
Assistants: Sartori and Carpi
