Gregorio Spigno
January 19, 2025 (changed at 11:01 pm) – MILANO
A reply to Antonio Conte needed to be delivered, Inter sent him three. With a little too much effort, Inzaghi’s team overcame Empoli at San Siro thanks to second-half goals from Lautaro, Dumfries and Thuram – the temporary 2-1 guest score from the former Esposito -, kept pace with Napoli and returned to – 3 from the blues. Always with the “jolly asterisk”, i.e. the match to be recovered against Fiorentina. Inzaghi achieves victory despite a large turnover and the focus now shifts to the Champions League.
fantasia zero
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In the first half Inzaghi (disqualified and replaced on the bench by deputy Farris) sees again the ghosts of last Wednesday, the day of the home draw against Bologna. Without the various Bastoni, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan and Thuram – resting in view of next week’s Champions League match on the Sparta Prague pitch -, the team maintains total control of possession and of the game but cannot find spaces, flashes, ideas. Empoli attacks with conviction also thanks to the module designed by D’Aversa, a 4-4-1-1 with little imagination (initially the former player Sebastiano Esposito on the bench, the departing Fazzini in to support Colombo) and a lot substance. Inter came close to scoring with an overhead kick from Lautaro – among the most inspired – in the quarter of an hour but Vasquez said no. Shortly afterwards, Toro came close to taking the lead again: carelessness on the part of the Ismaijli-De Sciglio duo, the Argentine collected it in the area and hit the post. A wood that doesn’t affect the defensive security of the guests but doesn’t even light up the Nerazzurri’s offensive quality: Taremi still seems like a bad copy of the one in Porto, Asllani is timid and imprecise, Carlos Augusto doesn’t create the same superiority as Bastoni. In short, Inter “2” still seems far from the level of that of the very titled ones. Barella tries to turn on the lights with a couple of shots from outside that are stylistically notable but far from the goal and they slip quickly to half-time with only 0-0, with just one Nerazzurri shot on target in 45′.
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flashes
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In the second half Inzaghi confirmed his trust in those he sent onto the field from the 1st minute, he didn’t change men and immediately reaped the benefits. But to break the deadlock, Inter needs an invention from their captain: 55′, Barella passes Lautaro who draws a wonderful right-footed shot that Vasquez touches but cannot repel. Goal number 111 in Serie A with Inter, moving Icardi into 2nd place in the club’s all-time foreign scorers rankings. The advantage shakes the Nerazzurri who, before taking a big risk due to a clumsy dribble by Sommer, immediately come close to doubling the lead again with Toro. Once the match was over, Inzaghi changed: inside the big names Thuram and Mkhitaryan for Taremi and Zlienski, both opaque (especially the Iranian). The team immediately raises the level and it’s almost the two substitutes who score the double. In management, thoughts return to Prague: minutes of rest for a much applauded Lautaro Martinez and space for Arnautovic. Empoli suffered the setback and struggled to cross the halfway line, Inter controlled and pushed in search of a double which would virtually close the match. And in the 79th minute it arrives: a corner kicked well by Asllani to find Dumfries who takes the lift, heads the ball and makes it 2-0. Race closed? Nope. The former player Seba Esposito livens up the final by collecting a ball thrown into the Nerazzurri area, evading De Vrij and shooting, 2-1. He doesn’t rejoice and apologizes to his former audience. A bit of fear sets in for Inter, Empoli takes courage and goes into the final assault. But shortly afterwards he was punished on the restart: Barella sent Arnautovic into space who, out of the corner of his eye, saw Thuram arrive for an easy pass on goal. It ends like this 3-1. Inter are hot on Napoli’s heels even with many reserves on the pitch and send a message to the championship. “Amuleto” Farris still works: with Inzaghi’s deputy on the bench, he never gets lost.
