The party for the triumph in the Italian Super Cup goes sideways to Inter, which sees Empoli triumph at the San Siro. (THE CHRONICLE OF THE MATCH)
For the Tuscans, in numerical superiority for a half after a double yellow card in Skriniar, a goal from Baldanzi is enough to snatch three points that allow Zanetti’s men to overtake Juventus in the standings. But above all the goal of the young attacking midfielder now definitively ousts Inzaghi’s Nerazzurri from the Scudetto racetheir sixth defeat in the league and collapsed at -13 from Naples increasingly leading.
Also because, ironically, the result wasn’t even the worst thing of the Inter evening: we expected a performance that would continue along the lines of what we saw in Riyadh, but instead the Nerazzurri rediscovered themselves tactically and mentally fragile. So much so that Empoli, even in 11 against 11, had created great dangers for Onana’s goal, without Inter being able to do the same.
The expulsion of Skriniar, further and further away from Milan and close to PSG (“no chance he’ll renew”, said the agent in the evening), with two naive yellows in the space of 15′ he was the emblem of a team that can’t free itself from its ghosts and its atavistic problems. And so the fight for qualification for the next Champions League is also becoming more and more complicated, given the engagement made by Roma and the possible one by Lazio, which Milan will receive tomorrow.
An evening that the 65,000 at San Siro immediately understood how difficult it would be, with Empoli making it clear that they hadn’t arrived in Milan to play the sacrificial victim. So much so that Cambiaghi and Caputo immediately created dangers at Onana’s goal, paying for the lack of accuracy. Inter’s first and only blaze came from Dimarco’s right-footed volley which was well saved by Vicario, an occasion which also represented the Nerazzurri’s only shot on target in all 90 minutes of play. Also because the match changes just before the break, when Skriniar knocks Caputo down receiving his second yellow card in the space of 15′: not a small stain, on the match but also in what could be the Slovak’s last at the San Siro, given the strong interest of Paris Saint Germain.
Inzaghi, outnumbered, chooses the more wait-and-see path, replacing the impalpable Correa to maintain the three-man defence. He move that he doesn’t pay for, because in the second half Empoli on the counterattack found grasslands on which they were going to get married. On a couple of occasions Bajrami pardoned Onana, but then Zanetti launched the young Baldanzi into the fray who immediately struck: left-footed from the edge to close yet another restart, Onana far from perfect and the Tuscans ahead. Inter’s reaction, however, was nothing, like a flat encephalogram even when Lukaku and Dzeko entered for the final assault. The only opportunity came from a deflection by De Vrij that ended up on the crossbar, but otherwise Inter limited themselves to throwing the ball forward without giving Vicario even a thrill. Empoli celebrates at San Siro, Inzaghi still flops.
Inter (3-5-2): Onana; Skriniar, De Vrij, Bastoni; Darmian (26′ st Dzeko), Barella (26′ st Asllani), Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan (32′ st Lukaku), Dimarco (26′ st Gosens); Lautaro, Correa (1′ st Bellanova) (21 Cordaz, 31 Brazao, 2 Dumfries, 5 Gagliardini, 15 Acerbi, 33 D’Ambrosio, 42 Curatolo, 45 Carboni, 46 Zanotti). All.: S. Inzaghi.
Empoli (4-3-2-1): Vicar; Ebuehi, De Winter, Luperto, Parisi; Akpa Akpro (1′ st Haas), Henderson (28′ st Satriano), Bandinelli; Cambiaghi (19′ st Baldanzi), Bajrami (28′ st Fazzini); Caputo (45′ st Walukiewicz) (1 Perisan, 22 Ujkani, 3 Cacace, 20 Degli Innocenti, 30 Stojanovic, 36 Guarino, 87 Nabian Herculano). All.: Zanetti.
Referee: Rapuano from Rimini.
Goals: in the st, 21′ Baldanzi Corners: 3 to 2 for Empoli. Recovery: 2′ and 5′.
Expelled: Skriniar for two yellow cards. Booked: Henderson, Akpa Akpro, Parisi, Dzeko for foul play, Barella for non-regulatory behaviour.
Spectators: 65,476.
