Subscribe to this blog
Write for Three Monkeys Online!
Get your work published, and seen by thousands, in Three Monkeys Online! We accept articles, interviews, essays, and reviews for publication.
Read on for further information, and to submit your work »»
Inter establish a lead of eleven points with a win over Livorno
Posted - 16th February 2008
Roberto Mancini will, no doubt, be thinking 'put that in your pipe, and smoke it', as his team was the only one competing both in the Champions League and Serie A to win their game today. Controversy has been brewing over various penalties and refereeing decisions made in favour of Inter so far this season. Notwithstanding the merits of the argument, Inter went out this afternoon and won a game (without controversy) that they could easily have afforded to lose, ahead of their important Champions League clash against Liverpool next week. Something that their rivals Roma and Milan failed to do.
Inter are, for the most part, spoiled for choice (as Adriano found, to his detriment), and it was Honduran striker David Suazo who came to the fore today, scoring both of Inter's goals within four minutes of each other in the first half.
Livorno, who in the first leg of the championship were one of the few teams to hold Inter to a draw (2-2), lacked pace this evening as well as players (Francesco Tavano, for example). Understandable, given that they held AC Milan to an away draw during the week (and were, perhaps, unlucky not to have won), but this evening they were scarcely at the races, when faced with such a stiff opposition.
Livorno did come up with a couple of great chances, that could have turned the match, but at the same time there were some perfect goal-scoring opportunities missed by Inter, including a second-half shot by Cambiasso saved well by Livorno goal-keeper Amelia.
So, an Inter well in form in advance of their Champions League fixture - Luis Figo made a brief return, coming on late in the second half, after three months out of the game due to injury.
In the absence of controversy over refereeing, the main talk will inevitably be the growing row between Argentinean striker Hernan Crespo and Coach Roberto Mancini. Crespo has come back from an injury, but claimed to Italian journalists that it was too convenient to use that as an excuse not to play him more regularly and for full matches.
Email this article
Send comments
