Monza-Inter 1-1
NETWORKS: 36′ st Dany Mota, 43′ st Dumfries.
MONZA (3-4-2-1): Turati 6; Izzo 6.5, Pablo Mari 6.5, Carboni 6.5; Pereira 6, Pessina 6.5, Bondo 7, Kyriakopoulos 6; Maldini 6 (27′ st Bianco 6), Caprari 5.5 (17′ st Mota 7); Djuric 6. On the bench: Pizzignacco, Mazza, D’Ambrosio, Caldirola, Sensi, Valoti, Forson, Maric, Petagna. Coach: Nesta 6.5.
INTER (3-5-2): Sommer 6; Pavard 5, De Vrij 6, Carlos Augusto 6.5; Darmian 6 (11′ st Dumfries 7), Frattesi 5.5, Asllani 5 (29′ st Correa 5.5), Mkhitaryan 5.5 (11′ st Zielinski 5.5), Dimarco 6.5; Thuram 6 (29′ st Arnautovic 5.5), Lautaro 5 (11′ st Taremi 5.5). On the bench: Di Gennaro, Josep Martines, Acerbi, Bisseck, Palacios, Bastoni, Calhanoglu, Barella. Coach: Inzaghi 5.5.
REFEREE: Nichelino pair 6.
NOTE: serene evening, pitch in good condition. Yellow cards: Dumfries, Mota, Pavard. Corners: 1-8. Injury time: 0’+1, 4’+2.
Monza scares Inter, they don’t beat them, they only slow them down and in the end Napoli finds themselves alone at the top. In the late evening game of the fourth day of Serie A, Nesta’s team stops Inter at 1-1. At the U-Power Stadium everything happens in the final ten minutes: it is Dumfries who responds to Dany Mota’s advantage, saving the Nerazzurri from making a fool of themselves.
In Monza, Inter were seen to be decidedly below the rhythm and with rather confused ideas: Inzaghi’s changes in the second half were also not convincing. As for the formations, in view of the match against Manchester City, Inzaghi opted for a considered turnover: space, therefore, for Frattesi, Asllani, De Vrij and Carlos Augusto. Nesta, on the other hand, confirmed the Caprari-Maldini tandem, behind Djuric. In the first half, Inter’s play lacked sufficient speed and Monza, defending with great dedication, managed to contain the offensive flair of the Italian champions. There were only two noteworthy chances for Inter. In the 8th minute, Lautaro, with a header, failed to hit the target from a good position; in the 26th minute, following a perfect insertion, Frattesi found himself in the area, but sent the ball just wide.
At the start of the second half, Thuram also flirts with a goal, but Inter still doesn’t get into the swing of things. Hence Inzaghi’s decision to bring on Zielinski, Dumfries and Taremi at the same time: an extremely disappointing Lautaro was also replaced, among others. Also due to the subsequent substitutions of Correa and Arnautovic, the Nerazzurri go out on a limb in search of the winning goal; on the other side, Monza tries to exploit the counterattack. It is precisely from a lazy defensive reading by Inter that Monza sensationally finds the net for the lead. In the 81st minute, Dany Mota, with the first real chance for the Brianza team, heads past Pavard and beats Sommer. The evening seems cursed for Inter, but an episode saves Inzaghi’s boys. In the 88th minute, Dumfries, from a few steps away, deflects Carlos Augusto’s cross into the net. In injury time, Pessina, with a free kick, comes close to giving the Biancorossi a new lead. Not a match to frame for the Nerazzurri, now awaited by the Champions League commitment. Still without a win, on the other hand, Monza, author however of a positive performance.