Two goals, at the beginning and end of the second half, gave Inter their third consecutive victory and a Christmas tied to the top of the table, keeping pace with Atalanta and Napoli. Against a Como team capable of limiting the Nerazzurri's play and not making a disfigurement against the reigning champions, Carlos Augusto unlocked it with a header, then Thuram put the seal on it in full injury time.
A complicated match for Inzaghi's team, tired from the many commitments during the week in the Italian Cup and less brilliant than usual. But Inter is a battleship that knows no missteps. Of course, compared to the last three championship matches played, in which Inter scored fourteen goals, Como has the merit of having made life very difficult for Inzaghi's team. But in the end the Nerazzurri won the three points, remaining three points behind Atalanta with the match against Fiorentina still to be recovered. It wasn't an exciting match and it's thanks to Como. The first half is blocked.
The Como team covers spaces with order and precision, giving very little to the Nerazzurri. The key to the solidity is the five-man defense chosen by Fabregas who decides to cover himself to give less space to the Nerazzurri's maneuver, even on the flanks. And it's a choice that pays off. But Como also has the merit of not being impressed by the sold out Meazza, indeed they even became enterprising on a few occasions, especially at the start of the match and with a long range shot by Nico Paz. Inter, in an emergency especially in defence, with an unprecedented rearguard made up of Bisseck, Bastoni – central – and Carlos Augusto, do not risk much but do not worry Como either.
In fact, the first real opportunity was already around half an hour into the game. Dumfries widens for Mkhitaryan who returns the ball to the Belgian, but the Nerazzurri defender shoots high over the crossbar from an excellent position. An important mistake also because Lautaro was positioned immediately behind, also free and even more central. Di Marco doesn't deliver either, his attempt in the 42nd minute is too central, but even in this case there was a teammate who could have done better: Barella, two steps away, asks for the ball but is not served, much to his disappointment. But Inter started the second half with much more momentum and managed to break the deadlock after just three minutes.
The Nerazzurri need a free kick to score and they do so with a cross from Calhanoglu that finds Carlos Augusto at the far post, breaking away from Dossena and giving the home team the lead. However, Como does not throw in the towel. In the quarter of an hour, a very important block from Carlos Augusto limited the damage for Inter but following the development of the following corner, Nico Paz committed Sommer. In the 23rd minute the Nerazzurri doubled their lead but Lautaro's involuntary deflection canceled out the goal for offside.
Inzaghi's team fails to close out the match. The single goal lead leaves the result uncertain, and it is a risk for a team aiming for the title against a newly promoted team. Como tries until the end to try to make a winning move without however finding the coup. However, Thurman's second goal arrives in full injury time with a great shot from distance.
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