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Inter 1-0 Fiorentina: Milito Gives Nerazzurri Slender Advantage In Coppa Italia Semi-Final
The Viola have now gone six games without scoring against the Beneamata after their narrow defeat in San Siro.
Feb 3, 2010 4:40:00 PM
By Anthony Wright
Inter 1-0 Fiorentina - Lineups/Stats
Coppa Italia Fixtures, Results
Inter will hold the narrowest of leads over Fiorentina in the second leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final after beating them 1-0 in the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza through Diego Milito's first half strike.
The hosts looked to attack from the outset and Sulley Muntari needed to make a timely intervention in his own penalty area in the third minute to prevent a certain goal. Fiorentina were taking the game to Inter, with Lucio required to make a number of interceptions, but the veteran Francesco Toldo was untested after the first 10 minutes.
Riccardo Montolivo should have brought a save from the former Viola keeper in the 14th minute, but after Alberto Gilardino had played him through, Lucio closed him down well to force him wide and away from danger. Some good work by Mario Santana on the right wing allowed Montolivo to have an effort from 20 yards minutes later, but it flashed wide of the post.
Inter were only able to shoot from range themselves as they struggled to find a way past Alessandro Gamberini and Cesare Natali. Their first opening came in the 24th minute when Wesley Sneijder burst into the penalty area as the referee played a good advantage, but his shot was deflected wide.
Sebastien Frey then had to make a fine reflex save to keep Maicon's deft effort out of the net as the Nerazzurri began to exert some heavier pressure. The Brazilian full-back put a tantalising cross into the six-yard box moments after, but Diego Milito couldn't quite leap high enough to meet it.
It was the hosts that were in the ascendancy, and they made their dominance count in the 34th minute. Mario Balotelli beat Natali to the ball in the penalty area before sliding a pass across the goalmouth to Milito, who made no mistake from a matter a few yards away.
Moments after, Inter were caught napping when Juan Manuel Vargas was set free on the left wing by Alberto Gilardino but he dragged his shot wide of goal. The Peruvian nearly caught Toldo out in the 38th minute when his cross looked to be dipping under the crossbar, but the 'keeper was alert and tipped it over for a corner.
The lead was nearly doubled just before half-time when Manuel Pasqual's header flew just over his own bar as he tried to clear a free kick. From the resulting corner, the left-back cleared Balotelli's header off the line.
Goran Pandev was brought on for Muntari at the break. Fiorentina should have equalised just after half time - the ball came to Santana as it bobbled around the penalty area, but he completely miskicked it from six yards out and it fell harmlessly into Toldo's grasp.
Natali was caught dawdling on the ball when Milito snatched it away from him and raced away towards Frey's goal in the 54th minute, but Pasqual made an excellent challenge before his goalkeeper pounced on the ball.
Inter thought they had scored their second goal minutes later. Pandev brought a smart save from Frey down to his right before Milito's follow-up effort was deflected in by Sneijder, but the Dutchman was adjudged to have been in an offside position.
Stevan Jovetic's introduction just before the hour mark provided a much-needed injection of pace into the Viola, and he almost had a sight of goal after some neat interplay with Montolivo. Moments later, he was allowed a free header inside the penalty area but his effort was straight at Toldo.
With a third of the game to go, Gamberini made a sloppy error to allow Pandev to take possession just outside the Fiorentina penalty area. The Italian hauled the former Lazio man down, and the resultant free kick from Sneijder grazed the top of the net.
The Nerazzurri won another free kick 20 yards out in the 77th minute, but this time Sneijder's shot clipped the post before going out for a goal kick.
Prandelli looked to provide more of an attacking threat in the final stages as he brought on Marco Marchionni and Adem Ljajic for Santana and Pasqual, but Toldo was a virtual spectator as his defence repelled Fiorentina's forays forward.
McDonald Mariga was brought on to a good reception from the sparse crowd before Jovetic blazed a shot over the bar in injury time. Inter saw out the final few minutes relatively comfortably and are halfway to reaching the Coppa Italia final.
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Coppa Italia Fixtures, Results
Inter will hold the narrowest of leads over Fiorentina in the second leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final after beating them 1-0 in the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza through Diego Milito's first half strike.
The hosts looked to attack from the outset and Sulley Muntari needed to make a timely intervention in his own penalty area in the third minute to prevent a certain goal. Fiorentina were taking the game to Inter, with Lucio required to make a number of interceptions, but the veteran Francesco Toldo was untested after the first 10 minutes.
Riccardo Montolivo should have brought a save from the former Viola keeper in the 14th minute, but after Alberto Gilardino had played him through, Lucio closed him down well to force him wide and away from danger. Some good work by Mario Santana on the right wing allowed Montolivo to have an effort from 20 yards minutes later, but it flashed wide of the post.
Inter were only able to shoot from range themselves as they struggled to find a way past Alessandro Gamberini and Cesare Natali. Their first opening came in the 24th minute when Wesley Sneijder burst into the penalty area as the referee played a good advantage, but his shot was deflected wide.
Sebastien Frey then had to make a fine reflex save to keep Maicon's deft effort out of the net as the Nerazzurri began to exert some heavier pressure. The Brazilian full-back put a tantalising cross into the six-yard box moments after, but Diego Milito couldn't quite leap high enough to meet it.
It was the hosts that were in the ascendancy, and they made their dominance count in the 34th minute. Mario Balotelli beat Natali to the ball in the penalty area before sliding a pass across the goalmouth to Milito, who made no mistake from a matter a few yards away.
Moments after, Inter were caught napping when Juan Manuel Vargas was set free on the left wing by Alberto Gilardino but he dragged his shot wide of goal. The Peruvian nearly caught Toldo out in the 38th minute when his cross looked to be dipping under the crossbar, but the 'keeper was alert and tipped it over for a corner.
The lead was nearly doubled just before half-time when Manuel Pasqual's header flew just over his own bar as he tried to clear a free kick. From the resulting corner, the left-back cleared Balotelli's header off the line.
Goran Pandev was brought on for Muntari at the break. Fiorentina should have equalised just after half time - the ball came to Santana as it bobbled around the penalty area, but he completely miskicked it from six yards out and it fell harmlessly into Toldo's grasp.
Natali was caught dawdling on the ball when Milito snatched it away from him and raced away towards Frey's goal in the 54th minute, but Pasqual made an excellent challenge before his goalkeeper pounced on the ball.
Inter thought they had scored their second goal minutes later. Pandev brought a smart save from Frey down to his right before Milito's follow-up effort was deflected in by Sneijder, but the Dutchman was adjudged to have been in an offside position.
Stevan Jovetic's introduction just before the hour mark provided a much-needed injection of pace into the Viola, and he almost had a sight of goal after some neat interplay with Montolivo. Moments later, he was allowed a free header inside the penalty area but his effort was straight at Toldo.
With a third of the game to go, Gamberini made a sloppy error to allow Pandev to take possession just outside the Fiorentina penalty area. The Italian hauled the former Lazio man down, and the resultant free kick from Sneijder grazed the top of the net.
The Nerazzurri won another free kick 20 yards out in the 77th minute, but this time Sneijder's shot clipped the post before going out for a goal kick.
Prandelli looked to provide more of an attacking threat in the final stages as he brought on Marco Marchionni and Adem Ljajic for Santana and Pasqual, but Toldo was a virtual spectator as his defence repelled Fiorentina's forays forward.
McDonald Mariga was brought on to a good reception from the sparse crowd before Jovetic blazed a shot over the bar in injury time. Inter saw out the final few minutes relatively comfortably and are halfway to reaching the Coppa Italia final.
For the latest news and updates from Goal.com, follow our Twitter account!
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