All easy for the Nerazzurri, thanks to Lautaro’s brace (who also missed a penalty) and goals from Sanchez and Calhanoglu
L’Inter beats 4-0 the Cagliari, hits the fifth victory in a row and completes the overtaking operation against the Milan, climbing to the top of the Serie A standings alone. Everything easy for the Nerazzurri in the postponement of San Siro: Lautaro unlocks it at 29 ‘, then misses a penalty, but in the recovery they close the accounts Sanchez e Calhanoglu, before the Argentine himself gets forgiven with the shotgun that sinks the Sardinians, stopped at the penultimate place.
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THE MATCH
Completed comeback: Inter easily liquidates the Cagliari practice and takes the lead in the standings, taking advantage of Milan’s stop in Udine and Napoli’s two knockouts in a row. The Nerazzurri play the usual game intense and drumming, dominating in terms of possession and opportunities, achieving even less than what they deserved. Inzaghi’s machine proves to be extremely well oiled and capable of operating at full capacity regardless of the gears that compose it. It is no coincidence that among the best of the evening they stand out Sanchez e Dumfries (in addition to the usual Lautaro, Calhanoglu and Barella), two of the few who had shown some difficulties in the first part of the season. Expected from the matches against Salernitana and Turin, now the Nerazzurri team seems to have the road smoothed and the right amount of enthusiasm to close the first round in front of everyone. For the Cagliari instead, it is late at night: these are certainly not the evenings from which Mazzarri can hope to obtain something, but thepassive and renouncing attitude fielded at San Siro certainly represents a big step backwards compared to what has been seen in the last few outings.
In the very first minutes, the high-intensity ball round of the Nerazzurri struggled to materialize in the penalty area and the first thrills for Cragno all came from conclusions from a distance. Inzaghi’s men, however, are stationed permanently in the opponent’s half and come close to the80% ownership, while those of Mazzarri are crushed a lot, without ever being able to start again. Despite the obvious domination, the match appears a bit blocked, but the decisive episode arrives at half an hour: sul corner by Calhanoglu the rossoblù defense is completely forgotten Lautaro, who is free to hit the first post with his head and put in behind Cragno. A great chance for the 2-0 happens on Sanchez’s left just before the break, but the Sardinians’ goalkeeper is exceptional in returning low output. Cragno is then the absolute protagonist at 43 ‘, when rejects the penalty kicked by Lautaro and whistled by Marchetti for a foul by the same extreme defender on Dumfries.
The score of the second half is exactly the same as in the first half and after just 6 ‘the Nerazzurri manage to close it: a great “blind” assist from Barella takes the whole Sardinian defense by surprise, Sanchez instead he pounces on the ball and beats on the fly behind Cragno. The rossoblù goalkeeper is literally besieged: he saves great first on Dumfries, then on Sanchez, but can do nothing on torpedo at the Calhanoglu crossing, which rounds the result. Then he thinks about declining poker Lautaro, prompted by a splendid launch of Barella. A couple more miracles of Cragno (notable above all the one on Skriniar) and the crossbar hit by Sanchez are the last gasps of a match without history.
REPORT CARDS
Lautaro 7,5 – Unlock the match, miss a penalty, then redeem himself with the beautiful goal of 4-0. It is in a golden moment, a bit like all of Inter, and it shows.
Sanchez 7 – At the beginning of the match it seems almost tarantolato for the desire he has to propose himself and play the ball. A couple of great inventions, including the verticalization that leads to the penalty later failed by Lautaro. Then, the well-deserved great goal that closes the accounts at the beginning of the second half.
Stretcher 7 – Two assists and the usual sumptuous match in terms of quantity and quality. A complete player from every point of view, for whom compliments are now being wasted.
John Peter 5 – Totally intangible and also quite disheartened in the attitude.
Cragno 6 – He plays for 90 ‘with only one goal, his own, and despite the 4 goals collected he makes at least five extraordinary and decisive saves (including the one on the penalty), which prevent his team from leaving San Siro with a heavier passive.
Dalbert 5 – Difficult to find a worst of the worst, but his first half is truly a horror film, between poor drive, defensive errors (see the 1-0 goal) and the ingenuity that leads to the penalty then missed by Lautaro.
THE TABLE
Inter 4-0 Cagliari
Inter (3-5-2): Handanovic 6; Skriniar 6.5, de Vrij 6, Bastoni 6.5; Dumfries 7 (27 ‘st Dimarco 6), Barella 7, Brozovic 6,5 (27’ st Vidal 6), Calhanoglu 7 (31 ‘st Sensi 6), Perisic 6 (38’ st Zanotti sv); Sanchez 7, Martinez 7.5 (27 ‘st Satriano 6).
Trainer: Inzaghi 7.5
Cagliari (3-5-2): Cragno 6; Caceres 5 (25 ‘st Zappa 5.5), Godin 5, Carboni 5 (37’ st Obert sv); Bellanova 6, Deiola 5 (37 ‘st Oliva sv), Marin 5, Grassi 5.5 (14’ st Lykogiannis 5.5), Dalbert 5; Joao Pedro 5, Keita 5 (25 ‘st Pavoletti 5).
Trainer: Mazzarri 4.5
Referee: Marchetti
Markers: 29′ e 23′ st Martinez (I), 6′ st Sanchez (I), 21′ st Calhanoglu
Ammonites: Martinez (I), Cragno (C), Deiola (C)
Expelled:
THE STATISTICS
• Inter have won 18 home games in 2021 and have never done better in a single calendar year in Serie A.
• Inter scored 98 goals in Serie A in 2021, only in 1950 did the Nerazzurri score more goals (99) in a single calendar year in the tournament.
• Lautaro Martinez has scored in four consecutive league games in a single season for the first time since playing in Serie A.
• Cagliari are Lautaro Martinez’s favorite victim in Serie A (six goals).
• Inter have headed 11 goals, more than any other team in this league.
• Lautaro Martinez has missed two of his last four Serie A penalties, while having missed only one of the previous seven.
• From 2017/18 onwards, no goalkeeper has saved more penalties than Alessio Cragno in Serie A (six): the Cagliari goalkeeper has not saved a penalty in Serie A since August 2020, again at San Siro, but against Milan.
• With Alexis Sanchez, Inter have reached 15 scorers, more than any other team in this league.
• Hakan Calhanoglu has scored eight goals (five goals and three assists) in his last six league games.
• 11 saves for Alessio Cragno, a personal best in a Serie A match.
• João Pedro has made 250 appearances for Cagliari in all competitions.
• Hakan Calhanoglu has today become the first of 11 Turkish players to have played in Serie A in the three-point era to reach the 150 caps in the competition.
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