Internazionale Main Thread II

[Dejan-Stankovic]

[zafferano]

Balo's Milan shirt antics


FRANK the most sad thing in all this is that no one
yet understand that BALOTELLI is a dumb bastard
everone expect him to act as a smart person ,
when that is impossible .
look at Cassano or Adriano ,dont matter what
they never change ,and the great player ever was
an other dumb person and still is [maradonna ]
not that i tray to compere with BALO
only how stupid they are ,Maradonna flourish in naples
where was left do do as he like
this peoples are great players but cant follow
DISCIPLINE .

[Dejan-Stankovic]

The same Inter we saw in the Juve game before a big CL match; kicking the ball around thinking we're on a Sunday stroll. Granted they scored from a Cesar howler and we hit the bar, there is no sign of the Inter that played Chelsea etc. If we continue down this path, we're conceding another 2 in the next half. The only one who's trying is Lucio and the rest should just go home.

But damn, Pizza has bossed our midfield.

[Dejan-Stankovic]

Better second half but you hit the frame 3 times and it's not going to be your day. Stankovic needs to be shot.

[Messinterista]

Roma 2-1 Inter
De Rossi 17 (R), Milito 66 (I), Toni 73 (R)
Stadio Olimpico


Daniele De Rossi and Luca Toni beat Inter 2-1 at the Olimpico to re-open the Scudetto race, but Jose Mourinho's men hit the woodwork three times!

This was a Scudetto showdown between first and second, as only four points separated them going into a Stadio Olimpico packed with 70,000 people. Francesco Totti was on the bench after six weeks out, so Jeremy Menez supported Mirko Vucinic and Luca Toni. Wesley Sneijder recovered to start for Inter behind Diego Milito and Samuel Eto'o.

Roma were unbeaten in 20 Serie A games, while the Nerazzurri had just two wins from their last seven and hadn't lost at the Olimpico since a 3-2 on March 4 2001.

A Vucinic through ball found Toni in the box, but he was unable to turn on to his stronger foot. Moments later the Montenegrin's cross to the back post caught Toni out of position, as he had come near. Toni performed a nutmeg with two defenders crowding him out on the edge of the box, but a third got back to clean up when he was about to pull the trigger.

Roma had the stronger start and took the lead after 17 minutes. David Pizarro's long free kick was knocked down by Nicolas Burdisso and Julio Cesar seemed to have it under control, but fumbled and Daniele De Rossi bundled over the line from a couple of yards. It was a howler from the Inter goalkeeper. The Roma captain celebrated by kissing his shinpad.

Sneijder's ambitious free kick from distance split the defensive wall and whistled inches past the near post. A Dejan Stankovic volley was well wide and Milito knocked down the ball for Eto'o, but the Cameroon international hesitated and Marco Cassetti was able to close him down.

On 29 minutes a Vucinic snapshot took a deflection off Walter Samuel in the D to turn it just off target with Julio Cesar stranded.

Javier Zanetti was booked when he ran into the back of Menez as both were charging towards the goal on an intelligent through ball. It was not a straight red, as they were still a good way from the box. From the resulting free kick 29 metres out, John Arne Riise hit a missile that skimmed the far post.

Sneijder's ball flashed across the face of goal, just inches from Milito's outstretched foot in the middle.

Another fierce touched-on free kick for Vucinic forced Julio Cesar into a crucial save at full stretch, as it whizzed towards the far bottom corner.

Inter almost equalised on 42 minutes with an extraordinary opportunity. A corner kick found a soaring Samuel header from five yards that cracked the underside of the crossbar to bounce back out, but nobody was able to get the final touch! As the move continued, Lucio drilled wide from the edge of the box.

Milito had penalty appeals for a tussle with former Inter defender Nicolas Burdisso, but the referee waved play on. The tension got to Simone Perrotta and Esteban Cambiasso, as the Romanista ended up with a torn jersey during the scuffle. After the half-time whistle there was another row with Sneijder furious at the referee.

Straight after the restart Inter hit the frame of the goal for a second time. Eto'o threaded through for Milito, whose rising strike from a tight angle was deflected on to the crossbar.

Inter almost struck on the counter, but Julio Sergio had his palms stung by a Sneijder left-foot curler from inside the box.

Lucio was booked for a horribly mistimed tackle to take down Vucinic's ankle and will be suspended for the next round. From that free kick near the corner flag, Toni rose above the crowd for a glancing header just over the bar.

Pizarro was a little too calm in his own penalty area and was dispossessed by Eto'o, but the Roma defence eventually scrambled it out for a corner. Stankovic made way for Goran Pandev in a 4-2-1-3 system that won at Stamford Bridge.

Toni turned another header just wide of the near post and Roma hesitated with both Menez and Pizarro during the same long passing move in the Inter area.

Julio Sergio needed two touches to take the sting out of a Sneijder missile and moments later on the counter Riise drilled over from the edge of the box.

Inter equalised at the end of a chaotic move. Sneijder's shot was charged down, the Burdisso clearance wasn't strong enough and after a number of ricochets Milito eventually tapped in Sneijder's cross from the right. However, replays show that during the move both Pandev and Milito were clearly in offside positions.

Pandev's ball over the top found Milito, this time on side, and Julio Sergio came flying off his line to smother at the striker's feet.

However, Roma restored their advantage moments later! A wayward Rodrigo Taddei shot turned into an assist for Toni near the penalty spot, who had far too much space to spin round and fire low into the near bottom corner.

De Rossi limped off to make way for Matteo Brighi after picking up a knock. Vucinic nearly got a third when he sprinted off on the counter, but Lucio did just enough to disturb him and allow Julio Cesar to capture the ball.

Cambiasso and Thiago Motta were replaced by Ricardo Quaresma and Cristian Chivu, as Jose Mourinho risked everything he had to get this game back on track.

Douglas Maicon was booked for a nasty tactical foul to stop Pizarro going on the counter, clearly catching his ankle, and will be suspended along with Lucio and Zanetti.

There was another very dangerous counter-attack, but Toni's first touch let him down.

Eto'o threw a tantrum when a refereeing decision went against him and was inevitably booked, the sixth Inter player to get a card in this game. Eto'o then blasted off target after a stunning hook to get a long ball under control.

Francesco Totti made his comeback after six weeks to replace the exhausted Vucinic. Pizarro came sliding in for a crucial tackle to block off Ricardo Quaresma in the box.

Totti's chipped pass was spooned over by Toni on the turn, but there was controversy at the 89th minute. Brighi pounced on a poor clearance and was trying to go round Julio Cesar when he fell. The referee booked him for simulation, but replays show the goalkeeper clipped him with his trailing knee.

There were five minutes of stoppages and Chivu was very fortunate to avoid a straight red card. He knocked Toni over, then stamped on the back of his leg, but the referee didn't spot the reaction and only showed a yellow card.

At the 94th minute Inter went on the counter and Milito's low angled drive smacked the base of the near post! It's possible Juan got a touch to it with his sliding challenge, but the goalkeeper was well beaten.

Roma: Julio Sergio; Cassetti, Juan, Burdisso, Riise; Perrotta, Pizarro, De Rossi (Brighi 74); Menez (Taddei 68 ); Toni, Vucinic (Totti 85)

Inter: Julio Cesar; Maicon, Lucio, Samuel, Zanetti; Stankovic (Pandev 59), Cambiasso (Chivu 76), Thiago Motta (Quaresma 76); Sneijder; Eto'o, Milito

Ref: Morganti

[RomaShield27]

[Dejan-Stankovic]

[Totally FRANK]

[Lombardiamia]

[Dejan-Stankovic]

[Dejan-Stankovic]

[Dejan-Stankovic]

[Lombardiamia]

[Bagg10]

[Dejan-Stankovic]

[Dejan-Stankovic]

[Messinterista]

[Lombardiamia]

[Dejan-Stankovic]

[Messinterista]

EDIT - Added Internazionale Logo to the first post of this thread.

End of Internazionale Main Thread II - Locked