Final score

15 December 2014 21:00

ChievoVerona
0 - 2
Inter
10' (2nd half) Ranocchia
19' Kovacic
Referee: Davide Massa / Linesmen: Musolino, Schenone / Fourth official: Barbirati / Assistants: Cervellera, Candussio
Watch highlights
Minute Text commentary
46' The first half of Chievo v Inter comes to an end with Inter leading 0-1 thanks to Kovacic's 19th-minute effort.
45' Massa signals that there'll be one minute of added time.
45' Handanovic is booked for time-wasting.
44' Juan Jesus tackles Paloschi to halt a Chievo counter. From the resulting corner, the ball cannons off Cesar for an Inter goal-kick.
43' Kovacic tries a long-range effort, but Bizzarri does well to save.
42' Kovacic is fouled yet again. Meggiorini is the guilty party this time around.
41' Chievo win a free-kick. Birsa swings it in, but Palacio heads clear.
38' Cesar can count himself very lucky to have got away with just a booking after an ugly foul on Kovacic.
35' Chievo free-kick: Medel heads clear but only as far as Meggiorini, who executes a perfect bicycle kick which Handanovic somehow keeps out.
30' Guarin tries to slide the ball through for Palacio in the box, but Bizzarri is on his toes to claim the ball.
27' Massa stops play after a coming together between Juan Jesus and Meggiorini.
23' Nagatomo unleashes a low shot, but Bizzarri stands firm to make the save.
22' Izco picks up the first booking of the match after a foul on Kovacic.
19' INTER TAKE THE LEAD! Nagatomo's cross is headed down by Icardi in the area. Kovacic keeps a cool head to slot home for 0-1!
16' Bizzarri rushes out to the edge of his area and gets down low to claim the ball from Palacio.
15' Bizzarri gets up high to claim the corner.
15' Another chance for Inter. Kuzmanovic spreads the play to Icardi, whose cross into the box is put behind for a corner.
11' It's been a pulsating start to this match with both teams playing well and creating chances.
10' Amazing save from Handanovic who denies Paloschi after a Chievo free-kick.
7' Nagatomo breaks. The Japanese finds Palacio in the box, who squares the ball to Icardi. The Argentine shoots and wins a corner.
6' Ranocchia deflects Meggiorini's effort behind for a corner, which immediately leads to a second. Birsa loses possession and Inter break.
5' Guarin tries a powerful shot from the edge of the area, forcing Bizzari into a low save.
2' Great early chance for Inter! Icardi collects a pass on the right, then cuts it back for Kovacic, but the Croatian's shot is blocked.
1' Chievo Verona and Inter will face off tonight at the Stadio Bentegodi in their 15th match of this Serie A season.
1' The Nerazzurri get us underway!
1' The man in black tonight will be Davide Massa from the Imperia refereeing division. Inter have won two, drawn one and lost one on his watch.
1' Former Nerazzurri players Biraghi and Meggiorini start for Chievo tonight.
1' Guarin, Medel and Kuzmanovic make up the midfield trio, with Kovacic playing in the hole behind Palacio and Icardi.
1' Mancini starts with Handanovic in goal, behind a defensive back four of Nagatomo, Ranocchia, Juan Jesus and D'Ambrosio.
Minute Text commentary
48' The Nerazzurri move up to 20 points. Next up for Inter are Lazio, who visit the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on Sunday 21 December.
48' And there's the final whistle! Inter take all three points at the Stadio Bentegodi thanks to goals from Kovacic (19) and Ranocchia (55).
45' The referee indicates that there'll be a minimum of three minutes' added time.
45' Nagatomo swings in a low cross for Osvaldo, but the Italian can't quite get on the end of it.
40' Chievo make their last change of the match, bringing on Pellissier for Meggiorini.
39' Guarin lets fly with a right-footed effort, which Bizzarri is forced to put behind for a corner. Dodo's cross is cleared upfield by Chievo.
37' Ranocchia is so close to getting his second goal of the game, as Cesar picks his pocket before the Inter captain can get his shot away.
36' Third and final change for Inter as goal-scorer Kovacic runs off to be replaced by Osvaldo.
30' Icardi makes way for M'Vila as Roberto Mancini shuffles his pack.
30' Inter bring Dodo on for Kuzmanovic.
28' The Chievo forward talks his way into an early bath. Massa tires of Botta's protests and gives him his marching orders.
27' Botta earns a booking after a stray elbow on Kuzmanovic.
26' Botta tries an eye-of-the-needle pass, but his team-mates had stopped playing after straying into offside positions.
22' Inter win a free-kick. Guarin's powerful attempt is blocked by Bizzarri, who gets down well to make the stop.
19' Maran makes a second change, with Ruben Botta taking the place of Birsa.
19' Chievo make a change, bringing on Maxi Lopez for Paloschi.
18' Inter break well through Palacio. The Argentine feeds Guarin, whose ball is too long for Icardi.
15' The Nerazzurri win another corner. The ball is swung in towards Ranocchia, but Bizzarri is on his toes to claim.
10' INTER SCORE AGAIN! D'Ambrosio fires the ball back into the box where captain fantastic Andrea Ranocchia is there to sweep the ball home!
8' Kuzmanovic wins a free-kick for Inter, who then win a corner. Kuz swings it in and Meggiorini saves Chievo from D'Ambrosio's shot.
6' Chievo win a free-kick. Birsa swings it in, but Kuzmanovic is there to put safely behind for a corner.
3' Good chance for Chievo, who break quickly. Paloschi receives the ball on the run but his effort is just wide.
1' There are no changes for either side as the second half gets underway.
1' Nagatomo unleashes a left-footed effort that whistles just past the right post.
Ranocchia
7.43
7.43
Nagatomo
5.77
5.77
Jesus
6.32
6.32
Guarin
4.6
4.6
Palacio
5.91
5.91
Handanovic
7.71
7.71
Kuzmanovic
6.37
6.37
Kovacic
7.63
7.63
Icardi
5.82
5.82
D'Ambrosio
6.8
6.8
Dodò
6.16
6.16
M'Vila
6.14
6.14
Osvaldo
6.15
6.15
Medel
6.31
6.31
Average rating 6.37
3 shots on target 8
5 shots off target 10
15 fouls committed 23
7 corners 12
6 offsides 1
32% ball possession 68%
wins(9) draws(4) defeats(4)

VERONA – Inter made light work of Chievo this evening with a comfortable 0-2 victory. In a pulsating encounter, it was clear that the Nerazzurri had improved psychologically after a difficult few matches.

Encouraged by a test of character in Azerbaijan on Thursday night, Inter set up in a 4-3-3 formation, with D’Ambrosio on the right and Nagatomo taking Dodo’s place on the left. Mancini’s men started brightly, keeping hold of possession well and making incisive breaks forward.

On five minutes, Guarin threatened with a low shot that forced Bizzarri to get down well to preserve his clean sheet. It takes two to tango, as they say, and Chievo responded with an attempt of their own just four minutes later. After some penalty-box pinball, Paloschi found himself one-on-one with Handanovic, only for the super Slovenian to make the save.

Despite the hosts’ competitive start, Inter took the lead on the 20-minute mark. Nagatomo broke down the left flank before whipping a dangerous ball into the box. Icardi knocked it down into the danger zone, causing havoc in the Chievo defence. Ice-cold Kovacic kept his head to slot the ball past Bizzarri and set the Nerazzurri on their way.

Chievo were not about to lie down, however. And they very nearly drew level after Meggiorini pulled off an acrobatic overhead kick to force an excellent save from Handanovic. There was another scare for the Nerazzurri before half-time, with a deep cross from the right ricocheting off the crossbar.

The second half kick-off with a great chance for Inter. Nagatomo picked up the ball on the left, bore down on Bizzarri’s goal and unleashed a potent effort which flashed just past the post. Chievo were still very much in the contest, though, with Paloschi shooting just wide at the other end.

In the 55th minute, Inter started to tighten their grip on the match. From a Kuzmanovic corner, D’Ambrosio showed presence of mind and excellent technique to chest the ball down and draw a goal-line clearance from Meggiorini. Resistance would prove to be futile for the hosts, however, as the subsequent corner brought with it the Nerazzurri’s second goal. Ranocchia thought fastest to pounce on a low cross and lash the ball home.

Bolstered by their two-goal lead, Inter were as astute in their defending as they were quick on the break. On 63 minutes, Guarin squandered possession when the Nerazzurri had engineered a four-on-three counter. 

All hope for Chievo was extinguished in the 73rd minute, when Ruben Botta picked up two yellow cards in the space of a few seconds to earn himself an early bath. After getting an initial caution for a stray elbow that caught Kuzmanovic plum in the face, Botta was a little over-exuberant in his protests and had soon talked himself into a red card.

With the result all but secured, Mancini brought on M’Vila and Dodo for Kuzmanovic and Icardi, before Osvaldo took the place of Kovacic five minutes later. There was time for another chance on 82 minutes, as Guarin picked the ball up on the left. Nudging the ball onto his favoured right foot, the Colombian unleashed a looping effort that Bizzarri could only palm behind for a corner.

The final whistle heralded the end of a convinced win for Mancini’s side. Not only do the Nerazzurri pick up their first victory under the newly returned Mancini, but also deliver a second consecutive clean sheet after Thursday’s shut-out in Baku.

Lazio visit the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on Sunday 21 December in what is the Nerazzurri’s last match of the calendar year. The Rome-based club are sitting pretty in third spot and are enjoying a good spell, but Inter have rediscovered their form and will be determined to make it back-to-back wins in Serie A.

CHIEVO VERONA 0-2 INTER
Scorers: Kovacic 19, Ranocchia 55.

Chievo Verona: 1 Bizzarri; 20 Sardo, 5 Gamberini, 12 Cesar, 34 Biraghi; 8 Radovanovic, 13 Izco, 56 Hetemaj, 23 Birsa (Botta 64); 43 Paloschi (Maxi Lopez 64), 69 Meggiorini (Pellissier 85).
Subs not used: 25 Bardi, 90 Seculin, 3 Dainelli, 7 Lazarevic, 14 Cofie, 24 Schelotto, 26 Edimar, 63 Bellomo, 84 Mangani.
Coach: Rolando Maran.

Inter: 1 Handanovic; 55 Nagatomo, 23 Ranocchia, 5 Juan Jesus, 33 D'Ambrosio; 13 Guarin, 18 Medel, 17 Kuzmanovic (Dodo 75); 10 Kovacic (Osvaldo 81); 9 Icardi (M'Vila 75), 8 Palacio.
Subs not used: 30 Carrizo, 6 Andreolli, 14 Campagnaro, 15 Vidic, 20 Obi, 25 Mbaye, 44 Krhin, 54 Donkor, 97 Bonazzoli.
Coach: Roberto Mancini.

Booked: Izco 22, Cesar 38, Meggiorini 42, Handanovic 45, Botta 72.
Sent off: Botta 73.
Added time: 1 + 3 minutes.

starting lineups

Bizzarri 1 1 Handanovic
Sardo 20 55 Nagatomo
Gamberini 5 23 Ranocchia
Cesar 12 5 Jesus
Biraghi 34 33 D'Ambrosio
Radovanovic 8 13 Guarin
Izco 13 18 Medel
Hetemaj 56 17 Kuzmanovic
Birsa 23 10 Kovacic
Paloschi 43 9 Icardi
Meggiorini 69 8 Palacio

substitutes

Bardi 25 30 Carrizo
Seculin 90 6 Andreolli
Dainelli 3 7 Osvaldo
Lazarevic 7 14 Campagnaro
Maxi Lopez 10 15 Vidic
Cofie 14 20 Obi
Botta 19 22 Dodò
Schelotto 24 25 Mbaye
Edimar 26 44 Krhin
Pellissier 31 54 Donkor
Bellomo 63 90 M'Vila
Mangani 84 97 Bonazzoli