MILAN - The year got off to the best possible start for Inter in general and Diego Milito in particular as Parma were blown away in front of the San Siro faithful. The Prince scored two and made one with the Nerazzurri running out comfortable 5-0 winners.
The Argentine opened the scoring in the 13th minute as he turned in a perfect near-post cross from Alvarez, who played a blinder tonight. Five minutes later it was 2-0 thanks to Thiago Motta's daisy-cutter, then shortly before half time Milito connected with Maicon's cross to give his team a three-goal cushion at the interval. Pazzini made it four after the restart with Milito again having a hand in things, before a beauty from substitute Faraoni - his first goal in Serie A - wrapped things up ten minutes from time. A fifth win on the trot which takes us up to 29 points in the table. And now the crosshairs move onto next weekend's derby.
FIRST HALF – Against
Parma Claudio Ranieri opted for a central defensive pairing of Lucio
and Samuel in front of Julio Cesar with Maicon and Nagatomo as
full-backs, a three-man midfield of Zanetti, Motta and Cambiasso, and
Alvarez in a free role behind Pazzini and Milito.
Parma had the first sight
on goal just a minute in but Giovinco's effort was no trouble for
Julio Cesar. A minute later Alvarez and Motta linked up well before
the Italo-Brazilian teed up Pazzini, whose effort ended wide of the
far post. A 4th-minute corner by Alvarez found Samuel but the
defender failed to test Mirante with his header. The Argentine playmaker was a
live wire throughout the match and it was from one of his crosses that
the deadlock was broken in the 13th minute, Milito
flicking home at the near post to net for the second game running
after his goal against Lecce. Two minutes later Ricky sent in another cross, this
time for Pazzini, whose attempt sailed way over. However, Inter soon doubled their
lead after
Milito's shot was deflected out of the box on 18 minutes and Thiago Motta connected beautifully, his left-footed strike zipping onto the corner. Giovinco had an
opportunity to halve the deficit almost immediately when Biabiany's
cross found him free, but the pocket-sized forward directed his
header wide. He tried to make up for it in the 29th minute with a well-taken free kick but Julio Cesar dived low to keep the ball out of the
bottom corner. The visitors wasted another good chance on 40 minutes as Modesto messed up following Biabiany's cross. A minute later Milito notched his second and Inter's third of the evening
when he nodded home from Maicon's cross. There was no added time so after
45 minutes Inter headed into the dressing rooms three goals to the
good.
SECOND HALF – The
same 22 players took to the pitch after the interval with Parma
seemingly determined not to lie down and Giovinco still looking the most likely source of a goal. Inter were in no mood for charity
though and Pazzini made it 4-0 in the 56th
minute, finishing a counter-attack when played in behind the defence by Milito. On 64
minutes Julio Cesar came out to deny Pellè, who had replaced
Modesto, and soon after tempers flared briefly when Milito was on the
receiving end of an elbow from Brandao. Giovinco popped up again in
the 71st
minute to flash a low drive just wide, then two minutes later Zanetti succeeded where the Parma players had failed by inadvertently firing past
Julio Cesar in an attempt to clear, though the goal was rightly ruled out for
Gobbi's offside position; the captain could breath a sigh of relief
and even afford a smile as he apologised to the San Siro crowd and received applause in return. A
wonderfully struck volley from Gobbi gave Julio Cesar a chance to
prove he was still paying attention with a quarter of an hour to go,
and there was still time for Faraoni, who came on as a late sub,
to net his first goal in Serie A: his dipping effort clipped the bar on
its way in leaving Mirante with no chance. After two minutes of added
time, the ref blew the final whistle: 5-0 and a thoroughly convincing start to 2012 for the Nerazzurri.
Inter
5-0 Parma (HT: 3-0)
Scorers:
Milito 13 and 41, Thiago Motta 18, Pazzini 56, Faraoni 79.
Inter:
1 Julio Cesar; 13 Maicon, 6 Lucio, 25 Samuel, 55 Nagatomo; 4 Zanetti,
8 Thiago Motta, 19 Cambiasso (Poli 58), 11 Alvarez (Coutinho 72); 7
Pazzini, 22 Milito (Faraoni 76).
Unused
subs: 12 Castellazzi, 23
Ranocchia, 28 Zarate, 30 Castaignos.
Coach:
Claudio Ranieri.
Parma:
83 Mirante; 5 Zaccardo, 29 Paletta, 13 Brandao,18 Gobbi; 7 Biabiany,
4 Morrone (Pereira 60), 8 Galloppa (Musacci 68), 23 Modesto (Pellè
55); 10 Giovinco, 11 Floccari.
Unused
subs: 1 Pavarini, 22 Palladino, 33
Santacroce, 80 Valiani.
Coach:
Franco Colomba.
Referee: Antonio Giannoccaro (Lecce).
Booked: Samuel 23, Galloppa 31.
Added time: 0+2 minutes.
Attendance: 47,326.
starting lineups
| Julio Cesar 1 |
Mirante |
| Maicon 13 |
Zaccardo |
| Lucio 6 |
Paletta |
| Samuel 25 |
Brandao |
| Nagatomo 55 |
Gobbi |
| Zanetti 4 |
Bibiany |
| Motta 8 |
Morrone |
| Cambiasso 19 |
Galloppa |
| Alvarez 11 |
Modesto |
| Pazzini 7 |
Giovinco |
| Milito 22 |
Floccari |
substitutes
| Castellazzi 12 |
Pavarini |
| Poli 18 |
Pereira |
| Ranocchia 23 |
Palladini |
| Zarate 28 |
Musacci |
| Coutinho 29 |
Santacroce |
| Castaignos 30 |
Valiani |
| Faraoni 37 |
Pelle' |
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