Final score

9 November 2008 15:00

Inter
46' (2nd half) Cruz
Udinese
Referee: Emidio Morganti / Linesmen: Copelli, Stagnoli / Fourth official: Mazzoleni
Watch highlights
Minute Text commentary
45' Half time. Inter 0-0 Udinese.
45' Domizzi makes a vital block from Quaresma, conceding a corner.
42' Balotelli aims for the top-left corner with a 25-metre curling free kick. Handanovic gets his hands to it.
40' Inler tests Julio Cesar with a well struck shot from 30 metres. Not an easy save that for the Brazilian.
39' Udinese captain D'Agostino is cautioned after a foul on his Inter counterpart Zanetti.
38' Ibrahimovic blazes over after a pass from Vieira. Morganti blows for a foul by the Swede on Swiss midfielder Gokhan Inler.
34' Balotelli takes the resulting free kick. His inswinging cross is headed clear by Floro Flores. Inter remain in attack and Maxwell delivers a cross from the right but Cambiasso fails to convert at the far post.
33' Pepe is yellow-carded for hand ball.
32' Ivan Cordoba makes a stabbed clearance from Lukovic as the visitors find openings down the left.
29' Back in our half, Floro Flores scuffs his shot after D'Agostino runs undisturbed to the edge of the box.
28' Corner to Inter after Lukovic intercepts Maicon's pass for Balotelli. Mario's cross is cleared by Ferronetti.
26' A chance for Quaresma. The Portuguese collects Maicon's cross just outside the area and swivels before shooting straight at Handanovic.
23' Brilliant curling cross by Balotelli at the other end. Ibrahimovic miscues in front of goal.
22' Pepe looks for the top corner with a header from a left-wing cross. Julio Cesar saves.
20' Domizzi blocks Cambiasso's dangerous cross from the left.
17' Simone Pepe wins Udinese a right-wing corner after a duel with Maxwell. The Italy international's cross is cleared by Ibrahimovic after a bit of pinball in the box.
15' Udinese on the attack. Pepe has a run on goal but there's no way past Walter Samuel.
14' Maicon's fierce cross-shot from the left is cleared by Coda. Seconds later Quaresma delivers a trivela cross from the opposite flank, forcing a headed clearance at the back post.
12' Floro Flores is flagged offside as he runs on to Quagliarella's through ball.
11' Maxwell makes a crucial hooked clearance to deny Pepe a clear chance in our box.
10' The first chance of the match falls to Patrick Vieira. The French midfielder controls Ibra's pass with his chest and rifles wide a left-foot shot.
6' Handanovic palms clear Mario Balotelli's left-wing cross and Inter win the first corner of the game.
3' Welcome back Walter. The Meazza applauds as Samuel beats Quagliarella to a long ball upfield and coolly passes back to Julio Cesar.
1' Welcome to the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, where the teams are out warming up ahead of the 3 o'clock kick-off.
1' Morganti blows his whistle and we're under way. Inter kick off and will attack the Curva Nord in the first half.
1' Udinese make one changes to the team that drew 2-2 with Genoa last weekend. Quagliarella starts alongside Floro Flores and Pepe in attack, while Sanchez is among the substitutes. Di Natale is ruled out with tonsillitis.
1' José Mourinho has reverted to 4-3-3 after playing 4-4-2 in our last two away games against Reggina and Anorthosis. Cordoba and Samuel return in defence, while Zanetti is back in midfield after slotting into a full-back role in Cyprus.
1' Both teams go into this afternoon's Week 11 game on 21 points, one behind leaders AC Milan who play away to Lecce tonight.
Minute Text commentary
48' Full time. Inter beat Udinese 1-0 thanks to Julio Cruz' last-ditch effort.
48' Inter come looking for a second. Obinna's deep cross from the left is saved by Handanovic.
47' GOAL!!!!!!!!! Inter take the lead from the resulting corner as Julio Cruz heads home from close range. INTER 1-0 UDINESE.
46' Domizzi makes his most crucial clearance of the game, heading behind Obinna's dangerous cross from the left.
45' Three minutes of stoppage time to play.
45' Udinese bring on Marco Motta for Simone Pepe.
43' Inter so close to a late winner. Javier Zanetti hits the post with a low shot from 30 metres.
39' Stankovic scythes over from the edge of the box after two clearances by Domizzi.
38' Morganti books Cordoba after a sliding challenge on Inler.
37' Coda heads clear Cambiasso's cross as the Nerazzurri come back at Marino's men.
36' Pepe tries to lob Julio Cesar with an angled shot from the right, but he is unsuccessful.
35' Quagliarella has a shot on the turn deflected wide for a corner.
33' At the other end Julio Cesar makes a diving save from D'Agostino's long-range shot. Nothing comes of the resulting corner.
32' Handanovic makes a smothering save, denying Zanetti a chance from Ibrahimovic's through ball.
29' Julio Cruz is shown a yellow card for tripping Lukovic.
28' Udinese make their first change: Alexis Sanchez for Antonio Floro Flores.
27' Maicon gets on the end of Obinna's corner and heads into the sidenetting.
27' Dejan Stankovic comes on for Patrick Vieira.
26' Obinna's right-wing cross spins off Domizzi and it's a corenr for the Nerazzurri. There will be a substitution before it's taken.
24' Ibrahimovic passes to himself, dances past two in the box and looks for Cruz. His pass is intercepted.
23' Udinese venture into our half for the first time in ages and Antonio Floro Flores blasts way wide of the right post.
21' Lukovic trips Vieira just outside the left egde of the Udinese area. Handanovic makes a punched clearance from Cambiasso's curling free kick and saves Ibrahimovic's headed effort from the loose ball.
18' Inter bring on Victor Obinna for Mario Balotelli.
15' Free kick to Inter after Ibra is sent tumbling to the ground. Julio Cruz' effort hits the wall.
14' A double chance for Inter. Handanovic makes a difficult parry from Ibrahimovic's angled drive, before pouncing on the loose ball to thwart Balotelli.
10' Domizzi makes a sliding clearance, conceding an attacking throw-in as Vieira looks for Balotelli after a duel with Inler, who is booked.
8' Vieira has a shot deflected off Domizzi.
7' Udinese close through Maurizio Domizzi, who climbs highest in the box and heads over Floro Flores' left-wing cross.
3' Cruz floats in a cross for Ibra. Domizzi gets there first and makes a headed clearance.
1' Udinese kick off the second half.
1' A chance for Udinese in the opening seconds. Floro Flores shoots after a darting run on goal. Julio Cesar makes a one-handed save.
1' José has made a half-time switch, bringing off Quaresma and replacing him with Julio Cruz.
Zanetti
7.09
7.09
Cordoba
6.82
6.82
Cruz
8.39
8.39
Stankovic
5.68
5.68
Cambiasso
7.22
7.22
Julio Cesar
7.3
7.3
Samuel
7.77
7.77
Maicon
6.65
6.65
Maxwell
6.42
6.42
Vieira
6.63
6.63
Ibrahimovic
5.55
5.55
Balotelli
5.66
5.66
Quaresma
4.59
4.59
Obinna
6.41
6.41
Average rating 6.58
5 shots on target 4
3 shots off target 4
13 fouls committed 11
8 corners 5
1 offsides 5
28:34 ball possession 25:09
Mourinho v Marino

The two coaches meet in a competitive fixture for the first time.

Mourinho v Udinese

Sunday's Serie A clash at the Meazza is Mourinho's first against the Bianconeri from Udine.

Marino v Inter

Udinese boss Pasquale Marino has never won against Inter, with 2 draws and 2 defeats from 4 encounters.
Details:

2006/07 Serie A Catania-Inter 2-5 1-2 2007/08 Serie A Udinese-Inter 0-0 1-1

Black sheep

Inter haven't won against their 'black sheep' Udinese since their 1-0 Coppa Italia home victory over the Bianconeri on 22 March 2006. The Nerazzurri's last league win against Udinese was a 3-1 victory in Milan on 26 February 2006. In the 5 meetings (4 in Serie A, 1 in Coppa) between the two teams since since March 2006 there have been 5 draws.

Inter: 1 defeat, 21 wins in last 26 Serie A home games

The Nerazzurri are unbeaten at home in the Italian top flight since their 2-1 defeat to Juventus on 22 March 2008, having won 21 and drawn 4 of the successive 25 games.

Mourinho's attacking options

Eight Nerazzurri have scored Serie A goals this term: Adriano, Cordoba, Cruz, Ibrahimovic, Maicon, Obinna, Stankovic and Vieira. AC Milan are the only other team with eight different scorers after 10 rounds of matches.

Marino & points November

November is the most fruitful month of the footballing calendar for Udinese coach Pasquale Marino, with 16 victories, 9 draws and 3 defeats from 28 matches (a points per game average of 2.03).

Udinese: just one defeat in last 12 games

Udinese have lost just one of their last 12 games (the 2-0 UEFA Cup defeat to Borussia Dortmund after extra time on 2 October 2008). In the other 11 matches the Bianconeri from Udine have won 8 and drawn 3. In Serie A matches, Marino's side have won 5 and drawn 3 since their away defeat against Juventus in Week 2.

DA IMPLEMENTARE
wins(31) draws(11) defeats(10)

MILAN - Julio Cruz came off the bench and hit an injury-time winner as the Nerazzurri beat Udinese 1-0 at the Giuseppe Meazza.

The result puts Inter back on top of the Serie A table ahead of tonight's late game between AC Milan and Lecce.

After playing 4-4-2 in Reggio Calabria and Nicosia, José Mourinho reverted to 4-3-3 for the Week 11 clash, with Walter Samuel partnering Ivan Cordoba in the centre of defence after a long lay-off through injury.

Captain Zanetti was back in midfield after playing at left-back in Cyprus, playing alongside Cambiasso and Vieira.

It was the French midfielder who had the first clear chance of the game when he rifled wide from Ibrahimovic's pass in the 11th minute.

Udinese matched Inter blow for blow and Pepe forced Julio Cesar into an early save with a dipping header.

The Inter keeper was kept busy and expertly blocked a fierce long-range effort from Inler.

The Bianconeri went close again just after the break when Julio Cesar made a one-handed save from Floro Flores.

Inter stepped up a gear and had a double chance when Handanovic parried Ibrahimovic's angled drive before denying Balotelli a chance from the loose ball.

Handanovic then made a punched clearance from Cambiasso's curling free kick, keeping out Ibrahimovic's headed follow-up.

Pasquale Marino's side soaked up the pressure and hit back, D'Agostino forcing Julio Cesar into a diving save with a blistering long-range shot.

Quagliarella then had a shot on the turn deflected wide for a corner but the Nerazzurri surged forward and Javier Zanetti unleashed a low long-range shot that bounced back off the post.

Just when it looked like Inter were heading for their second consecutive goalless draw at home, substitute Cruz popped up in the area to nod home Maicon's headed assist from Obinna's left-wing corner.

Inter 1-0 Udinese (HT: 0-0)

Scorer: Cruz 90+2.

Inter: 12 Julio Cesar; 13 Maicon, 2 Cordoba, 25 Samuel, 6 Maxwell; 14 Vieira (5 Stankovic 72), 19 Cambiasso, 4 Zanetti; 77 Quaresma (9 Cruz 46), 8 Ibrahimovic, 45 Balotelli (21 Obinna 63).
Subs not used: 1 Toldo, 18 Crespo, 23 Materazzi, 33 Mancini.
Coach: José Mourinho.

Udinese: 22 Handanovic; 32 Ferronetti, 13 Coda, 6 Domizzi, 24 Lukovic; 88 Inler, 21 D'Agostino, 15 Isla; 7 Pepe (23 Motta 90), 27 Quagliarella, 83 Floro Flores (11 Sanchez 73).
Subs not used: 80 Belardi, 5 Obodo, 25 Nef, 26 Pasquale, 99 Sala.
Coach: Pasquale Marino.

Referee: Emidio Morganti (Ascoli Piceno).

Booked: Pepe 33, D'Agostino 39, Inler 55, Cruz 74, Cordoba 83.

starting lineups

Julio Cesar 12 Handanovic
Maicon 13 Ferronetti
Cordoba 2 Coda
Samuel 25 Domizzi
Maxwell 6 Lukovic
Vieira 14 Inler
Cambiasso 19 D'Agostino
Zanetti 4 Isla
Quaresma 77 Pepe
Ibrahimovic 8 Quagliarella
Balotelli 45 Floro Flores

substitutes

Toldo 1 Belardi
Stankovic 5 Obodo
Cruz 9 Sanchez
Crespo 18 Motta
Obinna 21 Nef
Materazzi 23 Pasquale
Mancini 33 Sala