Var saves Inzaghi at the end

Maximum result with minimum effort for Inter who beat Venezia 1-0 at San Siro and moves to -1 behind leaders Napoli one week before the direct match, also scheduled for the ‘Meazza’ next Sunday. The Nerazzurri achieved their second victory in a row, their fifth in the last six matchdays, thanks to Lautaro’s goal in the 20th minute of the second half. After 11 matchdays the Azzurri lead the table with 25 points, then Inter with 24 and the Atalanta-Fiorentina duo with 22.

The match

The home team starts strong with the aim of immediately directing the match in their favor. In the 4th minute, Barella tries from outside the area, a shot blocked by the defence. In the 6th minute Dimarco crossed from the left, Dumfries’ tower: the ball reached Lautaro who turned with first intention, the ball went just wide. In the quarter of an hour, a tricky corner from Dimarco, who finds a deflection from Lautaro at the near post but no Nerazzurri manages to find the winning deflection. In the 17th minute an attempt from outside the area by Bastoni ends just over. In the 25th minute Bastoni again, served in the area by Dumfries directly from a throw-in, tries with an ambitious backheel which however ends up wide.

At the half hour mark another chance for the home team. Thuram opens for Barella, who frees himself in the area but does not find space for the shot, therefore support for Thuram himself and a right-footed shot rejected by the Venetian defense. Shortly afterwards Ferrieri Caputi warns Pavard for a hard challenge on Pohjanpalo. In the 33rd minute Thuram’s header ends up on the outside of the net. In the 35th minute the Nerazzurri’s quick restart, Lautaro opens for Dumfries’ run, the ball is crossed first and Mkhitaryan’s immediate left foot is blocked by Stankovic. In the 41st minute the guests came close to scoring at their first chance, but Sommer was sensational from a few steps away from Oristanio’s safe tap-in served by Pohjanpalo.

News for Venezia after the break: Busio and Sverko enter, Crnigoj and Altare remain in the changing rooms. In the 4th minute yellow for Zampano for a repeated hold on Dumfries. after a minute, a poisonous cross from Zampano himself: the ball bounces in the small area and becomes Sommer’s prey. In the 6th minute the hosts transition with Bastoni who breaks free in an offensive projection and opens for Dimarco, an invitation to the center for Mkhitaryan who makes no mistake with his left foot but the VAR highlights Dimarco’s offside position and the score remains 0-0.

In the 7th and 10th minutes Pohjanpalo is dangerous twice, on the first occasion Sommer responds, on the second the Finn’s left foot is imprecise. In the 12th minute Mkhitaryan’s high right-foot shot wasted from an excellent position. At 16′ Bastoni’s cross for Dumfries’ header, Stankovic deflects it for a corner. In the 20th minute Inter broke the deadlock in a match that was becoming more complicated than expected. Action that develops on the left, where Dimarco brushes a fantastic cross into the center: Lautaro just has to put his mind to it and support the goal. In the 22nd minute Inter restarted with Thuram receiving the ball from Dimarco and shooting, Stankovic blocked his shot.

At 25′ triple substitution for Inzaghi, Taremi, Calhanoglu and Bisseck in, Lautaro, Barella and Bastoni out. In the 32nd minute Di Francesco plays Duncan and Ellertsson’s cards: Andersen and Zampano come out, while Inzaghi brings on Darmian in place of Dimarco. In the 35th minute Inter were one step away from doubling their lead. Thuram’s header finds Stankovic’s response, Taremi finds Sverko’s deflection on the rebound. In the 38th minute Yeboah takes Nicolussi Caviglia’s place among the lagoon players and for the Nerazzurri it’s time for Frattesi, who comes on for Zielinski. In the 43rd minute, Calhanoglu’s powerful right-foot shot from distance, Stankovic saves for a corner. In the eighth minute of injury time the last thrill of the match with Sverko’s goal disallowed at VAR for a handball by the same Croatian player.