The last time Inter played Siena at the Stadio Franchi the Nerazzurri walked away with the Serie A title. This time around however a win for Roberto Mancini’s men would not seal the Scudetto, but it would help them continue to race away at the top of the table.
First-Half
Inter’s quality was always going to make life tough for the home side and Siena hardly touched the ball within the first 20 minutes. Inter wasted no time in showing their intentions and on five minutes Zlatan Ibrahimovic showed just why he is rapidly becoming one of the worlds greatest forwards.
The Swede picked up the ball in the middle of the park and raced towards goal but his cut-back was intercepted by Simone Loria just before Julio Cruz arrived. Inter continued to create chance after chance as the half went on as the home side really struggled to play possession football. The visitors prowess in midfield and in defence ensured Siena were kept at bay.
After several good openings the Nerazzurri finally got their breakthrough on 23 minutes. Codera fouled Cruz inside the box after Ibrahimovic played a chip through ball. It was a definite penalty as the Siena defender caught Cruz with a high foot. Ibrahimovic stepped up to the spot and buried his penalty underneath Alex manninger. The former Arsenal goalkeeper dived the right way but was beaten by the sheer pace on Ibrahimovic’s drive.
Inter took their foot of the gas after going ahead and it was not long before Siena started to create some good openings. Thomas Locatelli was pulling all the strings for the home side as they looked for an equaliser. They almost got it on 27 minutes when Locatelli found Massimo Maccarone but the former Middlesbrough man failed to take advantage of Inter’s slackness at the back.
Three minutes later Siena got a well deserved equaliser. Once again Locatelli was the talisman who twisted and turned past Ivan Cordoba and played a cross for Mario Frick who had pulled away to the back post. Frick headed the ball across Julio Cesar who was flapping and into the path of Maccarone. The striker had the easiest of finishes as he tapped in from a yard out.
The goal was just what Siena needed as the Tuscan club came alive after drawing level. Inter seemed to have fallen asleep and the home side started playing with their tails up as Mancini looked on in frustration from the bench.
Siena seemed to be getting the better of the first half but right on half time Inter showed just why they are the league leaders. After having done nothing since going ahead Inter created an opening and they went in at the break with a 2-1 lead. Siena let themselves down with some awful defending from a Javier Zanetti corner. The initial kick was deep and missed everyone in the area. However Maicon was at the back post and he managed to put in a cross for Ibrahimovic. Siena tried to scramble clear but the Sweden international played the ball across to Esteban Cambiasso who tapped it in to an empty net from a few yards out.
It was the last action of an exciting first half and no doubt Mancini was relieved to go in at the break in front even though it seemed fortunate and against the run of play.
Second-Half
Inter brought on Dejan Stankovic for Maicon which meant Javier Zanetti dropped back to a more familiar right back role. Daniele Corvia replaced Frick for the home side as Siena tried to go in search of an equaliser.
However just like the first half Inter began the brighter side. Siena looked really flat after conceding at half time and they never seemed like getting back into the game. Inter were quick to take advantage of Siena’s lack of motivation and the Nerazzurri extended their lead on 51 minutes. Christian Chivu went on one of his trade mark runs on the left wing and cut back to Ibrahimovic who was waiting on the edge of the box.
The Inter striker knew exactly what he wanted to do before he even touched the ball. A quick glance up and in a blink of an eye the ball rippled the back of Manninger’s net. It was a wonder strike by the Swede which certainly brought back memories of the stunner he scored at San Siro against CSKA in the Champions League earlier this season. It was a brilliant goal which had his coach jumping around the dug-out.
Corvia however was guilty of missing the chance of the game several minutes later. Some excellent hold up play by Locatelli created the chance for the home team to get themselves back in the tie. The Siena talisman played a neat back-heel to his striker who found himself one on one with Cesar. Corvia really should have scored but instead fired a weak shot straight at the goalkeeper.
Siena tried hard to shift up a gear but it was Inter who were always in the ascendancy and the Milan based club kept it together, making life difficult for the home side. On 77 minutes Siena had a shout for a penalty after Victor Pele’ brought down Locatelli but the referee waved play on. Replays show there was no contact with the ball and on many occasions these penalty incidents have been given but it was not be this time.
Like the big bad wolf Siena huffed and puffed but they could not blow the house down as Inter seemed comfortable to soak up the home side’s pressure. The last 10 minutes of the game saw the game die down as neither side seemed to throw caution to the wind. Siena kept trying but could not find a way past the Inter juggernaut. However Inter did suffer a late scare when Fernando Forestieri pulled a late consolation goal back for his side but it was not enough as Inter held on to take all three points back to Milan.
Line-Ups:
Siena (4-3-1-2) Manninger, Bertotto, Portanova,Loria, Frick (Corvia 45), De Ceglie,Vergassola, Galoppa, Cordrea (Forestieri 75), Locatelli (Alberto 82) Maccarone.
Subs not used: Rossettini, Jarolim, Rossi, Eleftheroupolous
Inter (4-3-1-2) Cesar, Maicon, Cordoba, Materazzi, Maxwell (Burdisso 82), Zanetti, Cambiasso, Chivu, Jimenez (Pele' 82), Ibrahimovic, Cruz.
Subs not used: Orlandoni, Crespo, Balottelli
Goals: Inter: Ibrahimovic 23 (Pen) 51, Cambiasso 45
Siena: Maccarone 30, Forestieri 90+1
Cards: Yellow: Cesar, Chivu (Inter)
Galoppa (Siena)
First-Half
Inter’s quality was always going to make life tough for the home side and Siena hardly touched the ball within the first 20 minutes. Inter wasted no time in showing their intentions and on five minutes Zlatan Ibrahimovic showed just why he is rapidly becoming one of the worlds greatest forwards.
The Swede picked up the ball in the middle of the park and raced towards goal but his cut-back was intercepted by Simone Loria just before Julio Cruz arrived. Inter continued to create chance after chance as the half went on as the home side really struggled to play possession football. The visitors prowess in midfield and in defence ensured Siena were kept at bay.
After several good openings the Nerazzurri finally got their breakthrough on 23 minutes. Codera fouled Cruz inside the box after Ibrahimovic played a chip through ball. It was a definite penalty as the Siena defender caught Cruz with a high foot. Ibrahimovic stepped up to the spot and buried his penalty underneath Alex manninger. The former Arsenal goalkeeper dived the right way but was beaten by the sheer pace on Ibrahimovic’s drive.
Inter took their foot of the gas after going ahead and it was not long before Siena started to create some good openings. Thomas Locatelli was pulling all the strings for the home side as they looked for an equaliser. They almost got it on 27 minutes when Locatelli found Massimo Maccarone but the former Middlesbrough man failed to take advantage of Inter’s slackness at the back.
Three minutes later Siena got a well deserved equaliser. Once again Locatelli was the talisman who twisted and turned past Ivan Cordoba and played a cross for Mario Frick who had pulled away to the back post. Frick headed the ball across Julio Cesar who was flapping and into the path of Maccarone. The striker had the easiest of finishes as he tapped in from a yard out.
The goal was just what Siena needed as the Tuscan club came alive after drawing level. Inter seemed to have fallen asleep and the home side started playing with their tails up as Mancini looked on in frustration from the bench.
Siena seemed to be getting the better of the first half but right on half time Inter showed just why they are the league leaders. After having done nothing since going ahead Inter created an opening and they went in at the break with a 2-1 lead. Siena let themselves down with some awful defending from a Javier Zanetti corner. The initial kick was deep and missed everyone in the area. However Maicon was at the back post and he managed to put in a cross for Ibrahimovic. Siena tried to scramble clear but the Sweden international played the ball across to Esteban Cambiasso who tapped it in to an empty net from a few yards out.
It was the last action of an exciting first half and no doubt Mancini was relieved to go in at the break in front even though it seemed fortunate and against the run of play.
Second-Half
Inter brought on Dejan Stankovic for Maicon which meant Javier Zanetti dropped back to a more familiar right back role. Daniele Corvia replaced Frick for the home side as Siena tried to go in search of an equaliser.
However just like the first half Inter began the brighter side. Siena looked really flat after conceding at half time and they never seemed like getting back into the game. Inter were quick to take advantage of Siena’s lack of motivation and the Nerazzurri extended their lead on 51 minutes. Christian Chivu went on one of his trade mark runs on the left wing and cut back to Ibrahimovic who was waiting on the edge of the box.
The Inter striker knew exactly what he wanted to do before he even touched the ball. A quick glance up and in a blink of an eye the ball rippled the back of Manninger’s net. It was a wonder strike by the Swede which certainly brought back memories of the stunner he scored at San Siro against CSKA in the Champions League earlier this season. It was a brilliant goal which had his coach jumping around the dug-out.
Corvia however was guilty of missing the chance of the game several minutes later. Some excellent hold up play by Locatelli created the chance for the home team to get themselves back in the tie. The Siena talisman played a neat back-heel to his striker who found himself one on one with Cesar. Corvia really should have scored but instead fired a weak shot straight at the goalkeeper.
Siena tried hard to shift up a gear but it was Inter who were always in the ascendancy and the Milan based club kept it together, making life difficult for the home side. On 77 minutes Siena had a shout for a penalty after Victor Pele’ brought down Locatelli but the referee waved play on. Replays show there was no contact with the ball and on many occasions these penalty incidents have been given but it was not be this time.
Like the big bad wolf Siena huffed and puffed but they could not blow the house down as Inter seemed comfortable to soak up the home side’s pressure. The last 10 minutes of the game saw the game die down as neither side seemed to throw caution to the wind. Siena kept trying but could not find a way past the Inter juggernaut. However Inter did suffer a late scare when Fernando Forestieri pulled a late consolation goal back for his side but it was not enough as Inter held on to take all three points back to Milan.
Line-Ups:
Siena (4-3-1-2) Manninger, Bertotto, Portanova,Loria, Frick (Corvia 45), De Ceglie,Vergassola, Galoppa, Cordrea (Forestieri 75), Locatelli (Alberto 82) Maccarone.
Subs not used: Rossettini, Jarolim, Rossi, Eleftheroupolous
Inter (4-3-1-2) Cesar, Maicon, Cordoba, Materazzi, Maxwell (Burdisso 82), Zanetti, Cambiasso, Chivu, Jimenez (Pele' 82), Ibrahimovic, Cruz.
Subs not used: Orlandoni, Crespo, Balottelli
Goals: Inter: Ibrahimovic 23 (Pen) 51, Cambiasso 45
Siena: Maccarone 30, Forestieri 90+1
Cards: Yellow: Cesar, Chivu (Inter)
Galoppa (Siena)
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