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Inter 3-0 Cagliari: Rampant Nerazzurri demolish Sardinians
Italian champions demonstrate why they are best side in Italian top-flight......
7 Feb 2010 16:49:00
By Subhankar Mondal
Inter 3-0 Cagliari - Lineup/Stats
Serie A Results/Fixtures
Inter defeated Cagliari 3-0 at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in Serie A on Sunday afternoon. Goals from Goran Pandev, Walter Samuel and Diego Milito saw the Nerazzurri maintain their imperious form in the Italian top flight.
Inter were looking to stretch their lead at the top of the table in Serie A and started in a very attacking formation with Goran Pandev replacing the suspended Wesley Sneijder in the role of the creator-in-chief. Samuel Eto'o was starting his first match since returning from African Cup of Nations duty and was partnered by Diego Milito upfront. Cagliari had two strikers upfront in Alessandro Matri and Nene.
Inter hadn't lost a league game at home this season and in the opening exchanges the Nerazzurri made it clear that Cagliari would have to work tremendously hard to force them to suffer their maiden Serie A defeat at the Meazza.
Jose Mourinho's side went ahead as early as the sixth minute when Goran Pandev struck. A quick counter-attack saw Javier Zanetti collect the ball and run into the Cagliari penalty box and pass the ball to Eto'o. The Cameroonian's shot was deflected off a defender into the path of Pandev and the Macedonian international needed no second invitation to bury the ball and make it 1-0 to Inter.
A couple of minutes later, though, the visitors could have equalised as Daniele Conti attempted a fierce shot on goal. But his venomous attempt was tipped over the crossbar by Inter custodian Julio Cesar.
Six minutes later in the 14th minute Pandev got a chance to make it 2-0 to Inter. Maicon whipped in a well-measured cross from the right and Pandev fired a volley from the centre of the Cagliari penalty area. But custodian Michael Agazzi, making his debut for the Sardinians, parried it away.
However, Inter eventually made it 2-0 and the second goal came on 20 minutes when Maicon's corner was superbly headed home by Argentine centre-back Walter Samuel.
The Nerazzurri had apparently done the job with their second goal and Cagliari ran out of steam. However, the visitors did put the ball inside the Inter net on 33 minutes when Matri struck. But the referee deemed it offside, although there was a suspicion that the last touch had been of Inter left-back Davide Santon and not Nene.
A couple of minutes later Julio Cesar came to his side's rescue. Lazzarri floated the ball and Nene attempted on Inter's goal from just eight yards out, but the Brazilian parried it away.
The Nerazzurri could have scored their third goal on the stroke of halftime when they were awarded a freekick on the right as Maicon was fouled. Esteban Cambiasso curled the ball into the Cagliari box towards goal but Agazzi saved it. He also pulled off a good save off Thiago Motta off the rebound.
Inter virtually wrapped up the match and bagged all three points from this fixture when they scored their third just two minutes into the second period. All three Inter strikers combined for the goal as Eto'o released Pandev, who then sliced open the Cagliari backline for Milito and the Argentine international hitman tucked the ball home from close range to make it 3-0 to the defending Italian champions.
Seven minutes later Inter could have made it 4-0. Eto'o released Maicon down the flank with a wonderfully crafted through-ball, but the Brazilian's cross was cut out. This sprung Cagliari into a counter-attack and Davide Astori tried to fool Julio Cesar from 25 yards out but couldn't.
Prominent chances weren't created by either side after that for quite a while, although Inter had clearly taken the game by the scruff of the neck and were the dominant side. They created a good chance on 71 minutes when Milito drifted away from his marker and cheekily put Pandev through on the edge of the Cagliari penalty area but Michele Canini's tackle on the former Lazio striker saved the visitors from conceding another goal.
Ten minutes before time Cagliari had a chance to score a consolation goal but Matri's shot on the turn was way off target. Mario Balotelli had his chance to etch his name on the scoresheet on 86 minutes when he found himself with the ball 20 yards from goal, but his shot went over the Cagliari crossbar.
It eventually finished 3-0 to Inter, which implies that Jose Mourinho's side are now one step closer to winning the Scudetto once again.
Serie A Results/Fixtures
Inter defeated Cagliari 3-0 at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in Serie A on Sunday afternoon. Goals from Goran Pandev, Walter Samuel and Diego Milito saw the Nerazzurri maintain their imperious form in the Italian top flight.
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Inter were looking to stretch their lead at the top of the table in Serie A and started in a very attacking formation with Goran Pandev replacing the suspended Wesley Sneijder in the role of the creator-in-chief. Samuel Eto'o was starting his first match since returning from African Cup of Nations duty and was partnered by Diego Milito upfront. Cagliari had two strikers upfront in Alessandro Matri and Nene.
Inter hadn't lost a league game at home this season and in the opening exchanges the Nerazzurri made it clear that Cagliari would have to work tremendously hard to force them to suffer their maiden Serie A defeat at the Meazza.
Jose Mourinho's side went ahead as early as the sixth minute when Goran Pandev struck. A quick counter-attack saw Javier Zanetti collect the ball and run into the Cagliari penalty box and pass the ball to Eto'o. The Cameroonian's shot was deflected off a defender into the path of Pandev and the Macedonian international needed no second invitation to bury the ball and make it 1-0 to Inter.
A couple of minutes later, though, the visitors could have equalised as Daniele Conti attempted a fierce shot on goal. But his venomous attempt was tipped over the crossbar by Inter custodian Julio Cesar.
Six minutes later in the 14th minute Pandev got a chance to make it 2-0 to Inter. Maicon whipped in a well-measured cross from the right and Pandev fired a volley from the centre of the Cagliari penalty area. But custodian Michael Agazzi, making his debut for the Sardinians, parried it away.
However, Inter eventually made it 2-0 and the second goal came on 20 minutes when Maicon's corner was superbly headed home by Argentine centre-back Walter Samuel.
The Nerazzurri had apparently done the job with their second goal and Cagliari ran out of steam. However, the visitors did put the ball inside the Inter net on 33 minutes when Matri struck. But the referee deemed it offside, although there was a suspicion that the last touch had been of Inter left-back Davide Santon and not Nene.
A couple of minutes later Julio Cesar came to his side's rescue. Lazzarri floated the ball and Nene attempted on Inter's goal from just eight yards out, but the Brazilian parried it away.
The Nerazzurri could have scored their third goal on the stroke of halftime when they were awarded a freekick on the right as Maicon was fouled. Esteban Cambiasso curled the ball into the Cagliari box towards goal but Agazzi saved it. He also pulled off a good save off Thiago Motta off the rebound.
Inter virtually wrapped up the match and bagged all three points from this fixture when they scored their third just two minutes into the second period. All three Inter strikers combined for the goal as Eto'o released Pandev, who then sliced open the Cagliari backline for Milito and the Argentine international hitman tucked the ball home from close range to make it 3-0 to the defending Italian champions.
Seven minutes later Inter could have made it 4-0. Eto'o released Maicon down the flank with a wonderfully crafted through-ball, but the Brazilian's cross was cut out. This sprung Cagliari into a counter-attack and Davide Astori tried to fool Julio Cesar from 25 yards out but couldn't.
Prominent chances weren't created by either side after that for quite a while, although Inter had clearly taken the game by the scruff of the neck and were the dominant side. They created a good chance on 71 minutes when Milito drifted away from his marker and cheekily put Pandev through on the edge of the Cagliari penalty area but Michele Canini's tackle on the former Lazio striker saved the visitors from conceding another goal.
Ten minutes before time Cagliari had a chance to score a consolation goal but Matri's shot on the turn was way off target. Mario Balotelli had his chance to etch his name on the scoresheet on 86 minutes when he found himself with the ball 20 yards from goal, but his shot went over the Cagliari crossbar.
It eventually finished 3-0 to Inter, which implies that Jose Mourinho's side are now one step closer to winning the Scudetto once again.
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