Inter-Torino 3-2, Thuram hat-trick and Inzaghi chasing Napoli

Third victory in a row for Inter who close an excellent week by beating Torino 3-2 at the ‘Meazza’ today 5 Octoberafter defeating Udinese by the same score last Saturday and Red Star Belgrade 4-0 on Tuesday in the Champions League. The great protagonist of the match is Thuram, scoring a hat-trick. Serie A’s top scorer scored in the 25th, 35th and 60th minutes. For the Granata who played with ten men from the 20th minute of the first half due to Maripan’s expulsion, Zapata scored in the 36th minute and Vlasic scored from a penalty in the 86th minute. In the standings the Nerazzurri rise to 2nd place with 14 points, while Toro remains 5th with 11 together with Milan.

The match

Right from the start the underlying theme of the match was clear with the home team in control of the game and the guests waiting and ready to start again on the counterattack. In the 14th minute the first real chance of the match with Ricci shooting from outside the area, diving away from Sommer. At 20′ the turning point of the match was with Maripan’s expulsion for a bad foul on Thuram. At first Marcenaro draws the yellow, recalled by the VAR he reviews the intervention and opts for the red. In the 25th minute the Nerazzurri scored with Thuram. Cross from Bastoni from the attacking midfield, the Frenchman heads between Coco and Pedersen: the ball kisses the post and then goes behind the innocent Milinkovic-Savic.

At the half hour mark, Inzaghi’s team could double their lead. Cross from Calhanoglu, Bisseck and Lautaro fail to find the ball with their heads and the Toro defense extends, Thuram tries a left-foot volley from a tight angle and hits the outside of the net. In the 32nd minute the first substitution of the match was made by Masina for Adams, among the guests.

It was of little use because Inter doubled their lead in the 35th minute again with Thuram. Cross from the left by Acerbi and the Frenchman heads home. A minute passes and the Granata close the gap with Zapata. Verticalization by Gineitis, the Colombian springs into a regular position, resists Darmian’s return and fires a powerful shot under the crossbar with his left foot. In the 39th minute, a perfect assist from Thuram for Dimarco who shoots with his left foot, a great save from Milinkovic-Savic.

In the 3rd minute of the second half, a poor shot by Pavard from the edge of the area risks becoming an assist for Thuram, but the split French striker just misses the loose ball. In the 5th minute Pavard crossed from the edge of the area and found Acerbi’s pass for Lautaro, Toro’s right-footed shot was deflected by Coco into a corner. In the 10th minute, another inviting cross from Pavard into the area for Lautaro, who heads it alone but misses the target.

Shortly afterwards, a great shot by Calhanoglu with the ball just over. In the 15th minute Thuram scores the hat-trick. Bastoni crosses from the left for Lautaro, the Argentine’s header is still imperfect, but Milinkovic-Savic clears it badly and then reacts awkwardly to the Frenchman’s tap-in, who hits with his right foot, crushing the ball. The guests opt for a double substitution, with Ilic and Vojvoda on for Gineitis and Lazaro. At 23′ Thuram and Darmian leave the pitch, Taremi and Dumfries’ time strikes. Standing ovation at San Siro for the Frenchman.

On the half hour, Acerbi gets a chance to shoot after a carom in the area: a high ball. In the 32nd minute Zielinski enters the field in place of Mkhitaryan. 4 minutes pass and Inzaghi runs out of substitutions with De Vrij for Bastoni. In the 38th minute there was an alarm at Turin. Zapata remains on the ground for several minutes and is taken out on a stretcher. In his place Karamoh, Vlasic also enters for Ricci. In the 41st minute Toro closed the gap with a penalty. Masina wedges himself into the area after burning Frattesi and Dumfries early and is kicked by Calhanoglu. Marcenaro has no doubts and immediately points to the spot. From 11 meters Vlasic makes no mistake: powerful and precise shot to the left by Sommer, who guesses the corner but just misses the mark. In injury time, a double feat from Milinkovic Savic, who first blocks a right-footed shot from Zielinski and then exalts himself on Taremi’s close-range rebound. In the final, despite some troubles, Inter managed to bring home the victory.