THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi II

[ASR1927]

Football Italia - the Italian football website for English-speaking football fans

Dejan Stankovic's spectacular strike gave Inter a precious 1-0 away win over Roma in the Coppa Italia semi-final. The second leg at San Siro is on May 11.

This had been the Final last season and they met for the seventh consecutive campaign, but here the first leg of a semi between two sides out of the Champions League and Scudetto race. Both suffered shock defeats at the weekend and needed a morale boost, but Samuel Eto'o was out with an ankle injury, while Francesco Totti was suspended and Philippe Mexes sidelined. Travelling fans were barred due to security fears.

Inter thought they had taken the lead within 120 seconds when Juan and Alexander Doni collided in the attempt to get on the end of a long ball, allowing Dejan Stankovic to deposit into an empty net. However, the referee had already stopped play for Stankovic's push on Juan.

Mirko Vucinic managed one of the misses of the season against Palermo and he somehow did even worse here! After eight minutes Marco Borriello rolled the ball across the face of goal where Vucinic only had to tap in, but incredibly prodded it wide from four yards!

Vucinic fired another chance over from the edge of the box, while Inter had penalty appeals for a Daniele De Rossi handling offence. From a corner, Lucio's header was plucked out of the air by Doni, but at the other end the Inter defender had to nod Marco Cassetti's cross off the head of Simone Perrotta from point-blank range.

It looked as if the first half was going to end goalless, but Stankovic had other ideas. He trapped a Wesley Sneijder pass, confronted Juan a few metres outside the area and unleased a spectacular curler with the outside of his right foot that swerved into the far top corner. It was unstoppable for Doni.

The tension got to Vucinic, as after the break he lost the ball in a tussle with Lucio and lashed out an elbow into the Brazilian's ribs. The referee did not see the incident, which could've cost him a yellow or even red card.

Doni's clumsy rush off the line went unpunished as Sneijder beat him to the loose ball and rolled it towards Milito in the six-yard box, but Nicolas Burdisso managed the crucial interception. Any touch would've put it in the back of the net, assuming Milito's finishing was better than that of Vucinic.

Borriello had an accidental clash of heads with teammate Juan and had to be substituted for Jeremy Menez. However, Roma struggled to mount a fightback and seemed tired as the game went on.

Sneijder's angled drive was blocked at the base of the near post, but Inter were not under any serious pressure during the second half and home fans jeered in the final minutes.

In fact, Doni prevented a second goal when Giampaolo Pazzini sprung the offside trap and went clear, the 'keeper rushing off his line to parry. Taddei attemped a daisy-cutter from 25 metres that had an air of desperation about it.

In stoppages Andrea Ranocchia's error allowed Vucinic to go into the box, but Maicon did well to turn the chipped cross for De Rossi round for a corner.

[RomaShield27]

I thought that was quite a decent performance from the boys. Without Totti, we were lacking that bit of consistency upfront and a player who is on top of his game. In a sense, I think the performance of Vucinic summed us up tonight. He missed another horrible sitter, enough to the destroy the confidence of the Lord Almighty himself, and he looked as if he just wanted to find the nearest well cliff to jump over. Yet he didn't hide from there on, and I think it showed character as his part to show for the ball every time and to try be our driving force going forward. His movement was top notch and he got on the ball well and beat a player or two, before messing it all up with a nervous and misplaced pass. He was frustrated and miserable and desperately short on confidence yet still tried to get things going but was destined to fail before it even happened, quite like the overall performance for the team tonight, it would seem. The Gods are angry and there is a spell hanging over Roma at the moment, one that can't be broken without some dramatic events. Just another day in the glorious world of la magica, then.

[romawi]

Man, that miss by Vucinic was fucking terrible.

[Lupa]

[p_maldini_3]

[ASR1927]

[vtec]

we can't all be horsecock seedorf

[AlCapone]

http://www.repubblica.it/sport/calcio/s ... -15166673/

Still owing money to Batistuta, Helguera, Siviglia and Esposito. 30 000 owned to Bambin Gesù hospital for pediatrics.

[Deini]

That Vooch miss was terrible.

Yeah I get Rai Uno here on TV, too bad it was a black screen that they usually do when there is a match going on..

And the money we still owe to some players, staff, clinics... People still hold Rosella in high regards here over this? Glad that she is gone.

[RomaShield27]

Does that article say we owe €9m to Batistuta and also to that other Argentine goal-machine Bartelt? Surely thats €900,000 and not €9m, no? B'dafeck. Wait until Di Benedetto and co discover all the receipts and bills for the latest handbags and shoes and outfits which Rosella no doubt managed to hide on the company account before she was ousted, that ought to be a pretty penny.

[ASR1927]

I think the article states that they owe 60 million in total. My God what this club will be capable of if run like a proper business!

Ciao Rosella. You won't be missed.

[ASR1927]

[Italiamia]

[AlCapone]

La Repubblica's article translated:
http://dielleroma.livejournal.com/1478.html

[vtec]

[Italiamia]

I wonder if Edzo thinks that was a poor pass as well. Two Waterboy tap in goals botched in the span of 4 days. Vuc has his head up his ass right now. All season actually, which is one of a few reasons he may be the first to go under the new ownership. If you believe the article below, he asked to be transferred in December.


http://www.repubblica.it/sport/calcio/s ... -15179488/

[arthurfonzarelli]

[Italiamia]

[arthurfonzarelli]

[Italiamia]

Are you saying we will get more out of Vucinic if he stays? He is not worth too much at this point on the open market unless some English team takes him. As far as his confidence, well, he is a professional so he needs to get over himself already. Did you read what Montella said about him in the Repubblica article? "In questo periodo Mirko non è tranquillo". " He's out of sorts. The one great quality about him was his attitude which is why it was easy to deal with his poor play at times. I am really down on him, I know, but I never shared Edzo's abject worship of the man as a football God. From a purely professional standpoint, he has had a very poor season and if he stays, he needs to step up. As far as Menez goes, hell, most of these guys are spoiled, pampered millionaires. It is what it is in modern football. He's a bit of a head case, but I think we need to keep him. He is still a young man.