Serie A: Messina - Inter [06-05-07]

[D-Kin]

Serie A Week 35 - 6/5/07 (14.00 UK)

Messina-Inter
Stadio San Filippo

Messina will be hoping for a Scudetto hangover from Inter as their chances of Serie A survival stretch to breaking point. However, the Nerazzurri are unlikely to go too easy on them despite already being crowned champions for 2007.

The Sicilian hosts find themselves in real trouble at this decisive stage of the season. Eight points away from safety with just 12 points left to play for, things are looking bleak for the Giallorossi, but there is a ray of hope in the form of new Coach Bruno Bolchi. His first match in charge last week saw the side claim their first point in seven matches, but he will know there needs to be a much bigger improvement if they are to miraculously escape from the abyss.

Gabriele Paoletti should continue in goal for Messina due to the lengthy ban handed to Nicholas Caglioni after failing a drugs test. There are also suspensions for defender Enrico Morello and, most importantly, top scorer Christian Rigano. The ex-Fiorentina hitman has hit the back of the net 14 times this season and his presence will be sorely missed as the Isolani battle for survival. Those absences means Marco Zoro could move from full-back to a central defensive role, while Arturo Di Napoli is expected to partner Sergio Floccari in a two-man strikeforce.

Inter have a huge injury list going into this match, meaning some of the less prominent figures of their Scudetto triumph will get a chance to impress Coach Roberto Mancini. Patrick Vieira, Walter Samuel, Hernan Crespo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Douglas Maicon and Nicolas Burdisso are all unavailable, while Dejan Stankovic is suspended. The likes of youngster Marco Andreolli looks set for a rare start in defence, while Adriano and Alvaro Recoba are expected to get the nod ahead of Julio Cruz in attack.

With the Serie A title already in the bag the Nerazzurri could be forgiven for taking their foot of the gas a little, especially after last week’s party at the San Siro. However, with so many fringe players hoping to impress in a rare start, Messina should not be expecting any favours. The 3-1 demolition of Empoli at the weekend showed the Beneamata have not lost their focus and are eager to break even more records this season in a bid silence their critics after claims that the Scudetto was ‘conditioned’ by the Calciopoli scandal.

Man on fire: Luis Figo (Inter) – The Portuguese veteran seems to have been rejuvenated by his decision to leave the Nerazzurri for Saudi Arabia in the summer.

Form guide: Messina (L L L L D) Inter (D D L W W)

Last season: Messina 1-2 Inter

Messina (probable): Paoletti; Lavecchia, Zoro, Zanchi, Parisi; Alvarez, Pestrin, D’Aversa, Masiello; Floccari, Di Napoli

Inter (probable): Julio Cesar; Cordoba, Andreolli, Materazzi, Maxwell; Zanetti, Dacourt, Cambiasso; Figo; Adriano, Recoba

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[Forza_Roma]

Inter are playing without any pressure on them and have been out of the spot light now with the achievements of Milan in CL. I doubt anyone will follow this match. Messina will be in B and Inter, they can play with their youth squad and it still won't matter.

[LaVecchiaSignora]

This should be a blow out match....I wonder whos going to win????

Inter needs to be careful though...its always the last place team that the 1st place team looses to because they think its a sure thing and they play a very laxed game when this happens usually...Ex.)Detroit Tigers end of the season last year had the #1 spot set all they had to do was win one game out of 4 against the last place KC Royals....the lost all 4 and took the wild card instead.

[Forza_Roma]

HT 0-0

[Forza_Roma]

Inter haven't scored yet? hmmm...interesting!

[Forza_Roma]

1-0 Inter goal by Crespo!

[Forza_Roma]

FT 1-0 Inter

[Forza_Roma]

Messina are done in A

Serie A Week 35 - 6/5/07 (14.00 UK)

Messina 0 - 1 Inter
Crespo 72 (I)
Stadio San Filippo

Hernan Crespo secured yet another Inter victory just seconds after stepping on to the field, but after seeing their penalty saved, Messina are mathematically relegated.

This was not the fixture the Sicilians were hoping for at this stage of the season. Eight points from safety with just 12 to play for, they had all but given up on avoiding relegation and welcomed the Scudetto winners still in party mode. Although Bruno Bolchi got a point on his debut to end a run of seven straight defeats, it would take a miracle to keep them up, especially with top scorer Christian Rigano' and Enrico Morello suspended.

Marco Zoro was given the captain's armband, a moving gesture in the match where last year he threatened to walk off the field after receiving racist abuse from a section of the Inter fans. Roberto Mancini rested several stars ahead of Wednesday's Coppa Italia Final with Roma and welcomed Adriano back from a two-match ban.

Inter's Scudetto hangover seems to have hit, as they had a very sluggish start and Francesco Toldo almost let a weak Alessandro Parisi effort squirm through his fingers.

Messina felt they deserved a penalty for Fabio Grosso's handling offence, but the referee waved play on.

Toldo did well to parry a Roberto D'Aversa strike from distance and an Arturo Di Napoli lob proved dangerous.

Inter only threatened in the first half through Alvaro Recoba set-pieces, one going straight for goal, the other nodded wide by Mariano Gonzalez.

Recoba and Olivier Dacourt skimmed the upright after the break, then Il Chino sent Mariano Gonzalez one-on-one with the goalkeeper only to incredibly fire wide of the near post.

But Messina were still very much in the running as Vincent Candela's half-volley whistled past the post with Toldo stranded.

The referee awarded a penalty for the Sicilians as Marco Andreolli used his arm to block an Andrea Giallombardo cross. A scuffle broke out with several Inter players arguing, above all Luis Figo and Nicolas Burdisso, but Di Napoli eventually took the kick only to see it saved by penalty specialist Toldo.

You can't waste chances like that and Inter took the lead moments later. Hernan Crespo made his comeback from injury and scored with his first kick of the game! He replaced Santiago Solari and as the free kick was taken by Figo and nodded on by Burdisso, Crespo stuck out a foot to poke the ball into the bottom far corner.

Figo skipped past two defenders and fired just wide of the far post and Patrick Vieira also made his comeback, but blasted off target from eight yards.

Messina: Paoletti; Zanchi (De Vezze 75), Zoro, Candela, Giallombardo; Lavecchia, Pestrin (Floccari 86), D'Aversa, Masiello (Iliev 80), Parisi; Di Napoli

Inter: Toldo, Cordoba, Andreolli, Burdisso, Grosso; Zanetti, Dacourt, Solari (Crespo 72); Gonzalez (Vieira 75), Recoba (Figo 64); Adriano

Ref: Celi

Missed penalty: Di Napoli 70 (M)

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[D-Kin]

He scored after being on the pitch for 19 seconds, not bad.

[Forza_Roma]

Crespo is great

TalkSoccer Media Player

[D-Kin]

An instinctive finish.

[Jager]

Figo is just awesome at putting balls in the box. Its such an underrated skill, but so important.

Inter this season have been shit on direct set pieces, but incredible on inderict pieces....go figure?