Internazionale v Fiorentina Live Commentary & Result, 01/04/2023, Serie A

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	PTS	Form
1	NAP Napoli	38	28	6	4	77	28	+49	90	W D W L W
2	LAZ Lazio	38	22	8	8	60	30	+30	74	W W W D L
3	INT Internazionale	38	23	3	12	71	42	+29	72	W W L W W
4	MIL Milan	38	20	10	8	64	43	+21	70	W W W L W
5	ATA Atalanta	38	19	7	12	66	48	+18	64	W L W L L
6	ROM Roma	38	18	9	11	50	38	+12	63	W L D D L
7	JUV Juventus	38	22	6	10	56	33	+23	62	W L L W W
8	FIO Fiorentina	38	15	11	12	53	43	+10	56	W W D W L
9	BOL Bologna	38	14	12	12	53	49	+4	54	W D W D D
10	TOR Torino	38	14	11	13	42	41	+1	53	L W D W D
11	MON Monza	38	14	10	14	48	52	-4	52	L L W W D
12	UDI Udinese	38	11	13	14	47	48	-1	46	L L L L W
13	SAS Sassuolo	38	12	9	17	47	61	-14	45	L D L L D
14	EMP Empoli	38	10	13	15	37	49	-12	43	L D W D W
15	SAL Salernitana	38	9	15	14	48	62	-14	42	L W D W L
16	LEC Lecce	38	8	12	18	33	46	-13	36	L W D D L
17	SPE Spezia	38	6	13	19	31	62	-31	31	L L D W L
18	VER Hellas Verona	38	7	10	21	31	59	-28	31	L D L L W
19	CRE Cremonese	38	5	12	21	36	69	-33	27	W L L L W
20	SAM Sampdoria	38	3	10	25	24	71	-47	19	L D L D L

That is all for today - thanks for tuning in!

It is the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia next for both sides. Inter take on Juventus on Tuesday before Fiorentina face off against Cremonese on Wednesday.

Bonaventura's second-half header is the difference between the sides as Fiorentina continue their impressive run with a huge 1-0 away victory against Inter in Serie A. Both sides struggled to carve out openings in the first half but the game hinged on a crucial four-minute period in the second half. First, Inter created a golden opportunity down the left but the chance, which fell to Lukaku, was put wide from close range despite an open goal. Fiorentina made their opposition pay and it was the former Milan midfielder who was quickest to the rebound from a corner to head home and secure a massive win for Fiorentina who extend their unbeaten league run to six games.

90' + 5' FULL-TIME: INTER 0-1 FIORENTINA

F. Acerbi

Yellow Card

90' + 4' Acerbi goes into the book after a mistimed challenge on Sottil.

90' + 3' Fiorentina launch a rare attack in the latter period of the second half but Cabral's diving header goes wide of the post.

90' There is five minutes of added time as Inter try to hunt down an equaliser.

89' Dzeko receives the ball in space but his attempt to spray the ball wide to Bellanova goes wrong and the overhit ball flies out for a goal kick.

87' Bellanova delivers an enticing ball after finding himself in space down the left but the Fiorentina defence recover and hack it clear with Dzeko looking to pounce.

84' Inter nearly have the ball in the net as Terracciano's punch deflects back towards the goal but Dzeko was offside in the build-up and the away side have a free-kick.

83' Fiorentina are beginning to retreat further and further into their half as they look to defend their one-goal lead as we approach the closing stages.

S. Amrabat

Yellow Card

79' Amrabat hasn't been on the pitch long but receives a yellow after a late challenge on Bellanova.

E. Džeko

M. Brozović

78' Brozovic also comes off for Dzeko as the home side chase an equaliser.

K. Asllani

H. Mkhitaryan

78' Inter make a double change in central midfield as Mkhitaryan makes way for Asllani.

M. Brozović

Yellow Card

77' Brozovic is late into a challenge with Biraghi and receives a yellow card.

A. Barák

R. Mandragora

76' Mandragora also comes off with Barak on in his place.

L. Ranieri

J. Ikoné

76' Another double change for Fiorentina. First off is Ikone with Ranieri replacing him.

J. Ikoné

Yellow Card

75' Ikone is the second player to go into the book.

74' SAVE!! It's another enticing cross from Dumfries but a fantastic save from Terracciano to deny Bellanova from close range. The wing-back's effort deflects off Dodo but the Fiorentina shot-stopper reacts well to make a vital stop for the away side.

72' Dumfries finds space down the right but Milenkovic is well-positioned to clear away the cross for a corner which Fiorentina deal with.

70' Inter have managed just one shot on target in this second half as they chase a much-needed equaliser.

S. Amrabat

G. Castrovilli

66' Amrabat is also introduced and replaces Castrovilli.

R. Sottil

R. Saponara

66' Fiorentina make a double change. First off is Saponara with Sottil replacing him.

65' Inter plead for a penalty as Martinez thinks he is brought down by Igor but replays show it appears soft and the VAR upholds the referee's decision - no penalty.

L. Martínez

J. Correa

63' In attack, Correa is sacrificed with Martínez coming on to replace him.

R. Bellanova

R. Gosens

63' Bellanova replaces Gosens at wing-back.

S. de Vrij

A. Bastoni

63' Inter turn to their bench with a triple change. First off is Bastoni with De Vrij on to replace him.

62' Fiorentina almost double their lead with a well-worked manoeuvre but Ikone's curling effort goes just wide of the post with Onana at full stretch

59' OFF THE BAR! So close from Barella as he hits the bar with a stunning effort. The ball breaks loose from the free-kick and the Italian midfielder unleashes a fearsome strike from the edge of the box. Terracciano is well-beaten but the crossbar comes to Fiorentina's rescue.

G. Castrovilli

Yellow Card

58' Castrovilli barges over Lukaku as the forward looks to burst into the box and he picks up the game's first yellow.

57' Lukaku rises well to clear Fiorentina's latest corner.

G. Bonaventura

Goal

53' GOOAAAALLLL!!! FIORENTINA LEAD! 1-0!! Just minutes after that Lukaku miss and Inter are made to pay from the corner. Cabral gets the flick at the near post from Biraghi's cross which Onana does well to palm away but he can do nothing about Bonaventura who is there to nod in from the rebound. A huge goal from the ex-Milan midfielder - what must Lukaku be thinking right now?

49' WHAT A MISS!! How on earth has that not gone in? It's great play down the left and Correa feeds Bastoni. The marauding centre-back squares it across past Terracciano to Lukaku who has the goal gaping. The Belgian inexplicably fails to divert it on target and the chance goes begging. He has to score - simple as.

48' WIDE!! Fiorentina respond with a great effort of their own and Onana is rooted to the spot as Castrovilli's superb curling effort drifts inches wide of the post. A huge chance for the away side.

47' It is a fast start from the hosts as captain Brozovic whips in an enticing ball which Gosens meets buts the German's volley sails well over the bar.

46' Inter get this second half underway.

N. Milenković

L. Martínez

46' Fiorentina make a change at the break as Quarta is replaced by Milenkovic in central defence.

Both sides will be after a more clinical edge in the upcoming second half. Both created openings in the first 45 but just one shot on target each between the 17 efforts in total.

It remains goalless at the break despite chances at both ends. Mkhitaryan perhaps spurned the best chance of the half after he burst through on goal after a counter-attack. But the midfielder opted against squaring the ball to Lukaku and was wasteful with his finish. Ikone may well rue his miss when he failed to connect and divert Saponara's deflected shot on target but the away side have also threatened through Quarta and Bonaventura

45' + 2' HALF-TIME: INTER 0-0 FIORENTINA

45' + 2' Inter win a late free-kick on the left which Brozovic delivers but it is a poor cross and Dodo rises to clear it with ease.

45' There will be two minutes of added time to end this first half.

44' Inter attack down the left but Correa's low cross fails to pick out an Inter player and Fiorentina eventually manage to clear the ball away.

43' Fiorentina whip in another corner but no player is able to direct Cabral's downward header on target and Inter can clear.

38' WHAT A CHANCE! I'm not sure how Ikone has not scored there. Saponara makes a fantastic burst into the box and his scuffed shot is blocked and goes across the box. With the goal gaping, Ikone swipes at the ball but misses. He was slightly off balance but the Fiorentina forward should have done better.

36' Quarta catches the ball sweetly as it is headed away by the Inter defence but the centre-back's volley flies just over the bar.

34' There is a brief pause for a VAR check surrounding a handball but no penalty is given.

30' Lukaku outmuscles Castrovilli down the left channel but the Fiorentina midfielder recovers well to deflect the Inter striker's effort behind goal for a corner.

27' Dumfries and Lukaku combine again and this time the ball finds the Belgian but Lukaku can't create the room needed to take a shot and Fiorentina are able to snuff out the opportunity.

24' Dumfries again causes trouble down the right and his cross narrowly evades the slide of Lukaku as the Belgian looks to turn it home.

21' CHANCE! It's end-to-end stuff and Inter now with a gilt-edged chance through Mkhitaryan. The midfielder gets the better of the retreating Dodo and bursts through clean on goal. He opts not to lay it off to Lukaku but fires straight at Terracciano before finding the side netting with a follow-up overhead kick attempt.

20' From the resulting corner, Fiorentina spring a fast counter-attack and win their own corner with Saponara looking to pounce on the enticing cross. Onana rises well to punch the corner clear.

20' Dumfries shows a good burst of pace to get to the byline but Igor slides in well to deny the Dutch wing-back's cross from finding Lukaku in the box.

18' The ball flies threw to Acerbi from another Inter corner but the centre-back's looping effort goes well over the bar.

15' Saponara cuts in from the right flank but his effort from the edge of the box is deflected behind for a Fiorentina corner.

14' SAVE!! Onana pulls off the first big save to deny Castrovilli's well-hit volley from Biraghi's cross. A goal-mouth scramble ensues but the home side hack it away for a corner.

13' Ikone fires in a sharp pass to Cabral in the Inter box but the Fiorentina striker fails to pull off an audacious overhead kick and the ball goes wide.

11' Lukaku pounces on to a ball over the top but the Fiorentina defence recovers to clear the ball for a throw-in.

9' Inter win another corner which Gosens rises to meet well at the near post but his header flies over from close range.

8' Inter's corner is overhit and it flies harmlessly out for a throw-in.

7' Inter have calmed the game down after that bright Fiorentina start and now win their second corner of the game.

5' Inter and Fiorentina have drawn 55 of their 169 Serie A matches (70 wins for Nerazzurri and 44 for the Viola); the Meneghini have only drawn more games in the top-flight against AC Milan (56), while the Toscani have only drawn more games against Roma (60).

2' A busy start to this game as Fiorentina win a corner as Ikone's shot is deflected wide. Inter threaten to break from the corner but the away side win it back and Bonaventura fires wide from long range.

1' Fiorentina get this match underway.

Inter are unbeaten in each of their last 11 league games against Fiorentina (W6 D5); the Viola could win against the Nerazzurri for the first time in the top-flight since 22 April 2017 (5-4 at Franchi).

Italiano makes five changes from his side's previous win against Lecce. Milenkovic is replaced by Quarta in defence while Ambrabat comes out for Bonaventura in central midfield. In the forward line, Gonzalez, Kouame and Barak are benched with Ikone, Castrovilli and Cabral coming in to start.

Simone Inzaghi makes four changes from their 1-0 defeat to Juventus before the international break. In central defence, De Vrij makes way for Bastoni while at wing-back Federico Dimarco is injured with Gosens replacing the Italian. Hakan Calhanoglu is also injured with Mkhitaryan coming into central midfield and up front, Correa replaces Martinez.

FIORENTINA SUBS: Josip Brekalo, Antonin Barak, Nikola Milenkovic, Nicolas Gonzalez, Christian Kouame, Riccardo Sottil, Sofyan Amrabat, Michele Cerofolini, Lorenzo Venuti, Aleksa Terzic, Alessandro Bianco, Tommaso Vannucchi, Luca Ranieri.

FIORENTINA (4-3-2-1): Pietro Terracciano; Dodo, Lucas Martinez Quarta, Igor, Cristiano Biraghi; Giacomo Bonaventura, Rolando Mandragora; Jonathan Ikone, Gaetano Castrovilli, Riccardo Saponara, Arthur Cabral.

INTER SUBS: Raoul Bellanova, Alex Cordaz, Lautaro Martinez, Samir Handanovic, Kristjan Asllani, Edin Dzeko, Mattia Zanotti, Valentin Carboni, Stefan de Vrij, Roberto Gagliardini.

INTER (3-5-2): Andre Onana; Matteo Darmian, Francesco Acerbi, Alessandro Bastoni; Denzel Dumfries, Nicolo Barella, Marcelo Brozovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Robin Gosens; Romelu Lukaku, Joaquin Correa.

Fiorentina, meanwhile, have enjoyed a marvellous spell of form of late. They find themselves through to the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League and are unbeaten in their last five Serie A games, winning four and drawing just one. They won their last game 1-0 at home to Lecce prior to the international break and Vincenzo Italiano's side now sit ninth in the table but still a mammoth 10 points off Roma in sixth.

Despite making it through to the Champions League quarter-finals, Inter have endured a poor recent form domestically and have dropped to third in the league. They have won just one of their last four league games, with their most recent a 1-0 home defeat against Juventus. A win today could momentarily move them back into second with Lazio playing tomorrow.

Hello and welcome to this live commentary for the Serie A fixture between Inter and Fiorentina from San Siro.

Internazionale v Fiorentina Live Commentary, 01/04/2023

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