A blog about the latest soccer news, best players, transfer talk and anything else about the world game, with a heavy focus on the Selecao and Inter Milan!
I went right down to the wire as Inter wasted chance after chance to seal their third Scudetto in as many years but on the last match day, Ibrahimovic came out to grab a brace against Parma and kick off the celebrations. Just enough to keep Roma in second but they couldn’t go the double this time as Roma defeated them in the Copa Italia final, for the second year running.
I’m glad to say that Inter have once and for all proven themselves. The first Scudetto was awarded to Inter following the Calciopoli scandal and few accepted that Inter actually deserved the title. So the next year Inter won it on the pitch in an amazing fashion, a huge points total at the end of the season. The same people were saying that it wasn’t a real win as many teams were docked points from the scandal (such as Milan) and Juventus wasn’t even in Serie A. So now once and for all, the teams all started level and Juve was back but Inter did it again.
Now if they can only sort themselves out in Champion’s League…
Enjoy the final day highlights and the celebrations.
Lastly, the highlights from the Copa Italia final. Shame that we lost 2-1 but at least you can take something away from it with that Pele goal. That was quite a strike, see below for yourself!
Four goals in 25 minutes from ten men. That’s what was required shortly after Torres sunk Inter’s chances in the 64th minute.
Although Inter played very well for most of the game, they can only blame themselves for not being clinical in front of goal. Too many chances were wasted and although Burdisso’s second yellow just before 50 minutes was soft and they will feel somewhat robbed again, it doesn’t change the fact that they didn’t put away the goals when they should have. Mancini should take some blame for a questionable starting line up. Figo should have started, he’s the only player that could have consistently opened up Liverpool’s defense and supply the attackers with the perfect ball. Although Zlatan failed to deliver yet again in a big match, the pressure perhaps too much for him. At least the defense was playing well, apart from the occasional Maicon lapse but Cambiasso and Vieira needed creativity in front of them.
We’ll have to suffer some more this season as champions league glory isn’t realised for the umpteenth time. Check out the highlights below, hopefully they’ll last without UEFA claiming them off youtube.
Inter celebrated 100 years of separation from the club that later became AC Milan and did not want foreigners in the game. They did so in style as they defeated Reggina 2-0 at home. The win is a much needed confidence booster after their shock defeat last week at the hands of Napoli to end their unbeaten season. Also it should help them mentally to take on Liverpool in a few days. A do or die match to stay alive in the champions league and a very difficult task indeed. At least Ibrahimovic is back after knee worries but the back line will be irregular to say the least! Cordoba and Samuel’s seasons are over and Materazzi is suspended for the coming match. It will probably see Burdisso and Chivu together as long as the latter can shake off his shoulder problem. Either way, enjoy the highlights of the serie A match.
Inter continued their winning ways and amazing unbeaten record, this time against Parma. The game was played on the weekend and the win continues to keep Roma at bay with 7 points difference. This match was certainly a controversial affair.
The ever-reliable midfield presence of Cambiasso started off the scoring with a trademark, cool, calm and collected goal. Although Parma was lost for a while after that goal, they found the net to equalise in a nice, well-finished, team effort. Both teams continued to come close to breaking the deadlock but eventually it was Parma that went in front with an amazing free kick, Parma 2-1.
This woke Inter up and they began to press even harder, including a disallowed goal. They were awarded a penalty when Couto was judged to have handled the ball in the area. This was a very difficult call because it really looked like it was a hand-ball but only in slow-motion is it possible to see that he did in fact head the ball away. Personally I feel it was stupid of him to place his arm in such a close position to the ball as it made it look like a hand-ball. In fact it’s more than likely that he had the arm ready for if his head missed anyway. Either way, Ibrahimovic made no mistake from the spot, 2-2. To finish of the drama, Ibrahimovic scored once again to hand Inter full points in a beautiful, well-controlled strike. Chesting down a cross into the path of his right boot in the middle of the Parma box, an amazing piece of control, strength and finesse.
A quick post to summarise the result between Inter and Milan in the classic Milan derby.
The game ended 2-1 in Inter’s favour with goals from Julio Cruz and Cambiasso on either side of half-time. Adrea Pirlo opened the scoring to put Milan up 1-0 from a trademark free-kick just outside the box around 17 mins although Ibrahimovic was unlucky not to score early on with a powerful volley just above the bar from a Maicon cross.
Dida saved Milan on 19 minutes by tipping away a cross that was about to hit the feet of an Inter player. He took a knock from one of his players for his trouble and almost conceded as the ball was shot into the bar from the deflection. Around 32 minutes, Kaka’ went on a blazing run that had Samuel not knowing which way to turn, in fact it looked like he twisted his knee on the final turn. On 35 minutes, Julio Cruz leveled the score with a pin-point accurate shot, slotting the ball through defenders, legs and the near post.
There were signs a second goal was coming and on 62 minutes, Cambiasso took a shot that wrong-footed Dida who could only helplessly wave his legs aroung in a futile attempt to deflect the ball away, 2-1 Inter. Finally towards the end of the game Kaka’ had a volley saved by his fellow country-man, Julio Cesar. He was also unlucky not to score and could very well have tied the match.
The other big match up this weekend (apart from Arsenal vs Manchester United) is the battle between Inter and Juventus! Although Roma is sitting in second spot, one place above Juventus, they are only one point behind. The Inter-Juve games have always been fierce and highly anticipated affairs and this is an especially important match. This is the first time the two teams have faced each other in a league match for almost a couple of years. Juventus is keen to reassert itself as a serie A powerhouse while Inter will want to prove that the last two scudettos were earned through a great team and not by default as many claim.
Both teams are certainly different from the last time they met. Juve has restructured and had to let some players leave while they pulled themselves out of serie B. While Inter has made some important buys over the last couple of years, a couple such as Ibrahimovic and Viera from Juve, allowing them to build a squad with much depth. Look at their line up of strikers for proof of that!
Inter are coming off the back of a 4-1 win over Genoa, a win where Ibrahimovic and Samuel were rested to not risk then picking up yellow cards as that would mean their suspension for the big game. Also Julio Cesar and Toldo were injured and the 3rd keeper had to be fielded. Suazo also scored his first goal for Inter, which will hopefully be the start of many more to come (another Adriano would be hard to take!). So Inter is still unbeaten after 10 games while Juve have lost a couple, drawn a couple and won the rest.
Traveling to Turin means the crowd won’t make it easy on Inter and the Adriano saga might have lowered the moral of the team a bit (He wasn’t happy about being subbed during a previous match and now isn’t even on the squad list for the Champions League group stages). Although that may be getting blown up as much more than it was, apparently he’s been doing really well at training.
Lippi has come out to say that Juve could take the scudetto, even though he admits Inter is the strongest team. He also conceded that it could go either way. Whatever happens, you can bet Juve will continue to fight all the way and this is going to be a tough match for both sides.
Inter were able to retain the top spot of serie A after defeating Napoli 2-1.
This time it wasn’t Ibrahimovic grabbing a brace, it was in fact Cruz who put two away. One thanks to Ibrahimovic who did the hard work to allow Cruz a simple tap in on 19 minutes. While the second goal was a well timed pass and run for Cruz to chest down and blast past the keeper under some pressure at the 35 minute mark. Napoli were able to pull one back on the 39th minute in the second half but it wasn’t enough to ensure any points.
Will Inter’s domination of the league continue again or has AC Milan found it’s feat again after drubbing Lazio 5-1? Perhaps Juventus or Roma will still be able to put together a serious challenge for the title. Anyways, enjoy the highlights…
So the hype and comments are flying as Inter and Roma prepare to do battle to decide the strongest of serie A on the weekend in an epic top of the table clash.
Roma is in blistering form and playing some of the most attractive football in all European competitions at the moment. Inter is up and down as usual but Ibrahimovic is also in blistering form and can’t seem to put a foot wrong! He is sitting at the top of the scoring charts, tied with Trezeque on 6 goals, 2 above Totti.
Inter is somewhat depleted in defense with Materazzi, Maicon and Viera out because of injuries and suspensions. It will be interesting to see what Mancini can do with the players on hand. Roma also has a few injuries to deal with so both teams will have to adjust their regular line-ups.
Roma will have the advantage of a home crowd but Inter go into the match off a 3-0 thumping of Sampadoria in the middle of the week. Hopefully it will be another classic like the 06 supercup match between the two teams…
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If you’d like to see the highlights of Inter’s 3-0 waxing of Sampadoria earlier in the week, see below. A brace for Ibrahimovic and Figo magic to wrap it up.
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Edit: Inter vs Roma = 4-1
You can read my brief review or just skip to the match highlights below.
The score doesn’t tell the full story but it was a convincing win by Inter over an ultimately 10-man Roma. Early on Roma were playing some good football but after Guily blatantly and intentionally handled the ball in the area to prevent a header, following a blocked shot, from going in, Roma were reduced to 10 men. Ibrahimovic calmly put away the penalty.
After that it looked like Roma were going to save themselves and hold out for a draw with Perrota leveling the score. But it wasn’t to last as the immense pressure that Inter laid on eventually cracked Roma open. First with Crespo putting away a deflected Cambiasso shot, then Cruz blasting in a long range effort and finally Cordoba headed home the final nail in the coffin.
