domingo, 3 de abril de 2011

Pato, king of the derby. Inter fall 5 points behind

AC Milan won 3-0 at the San Siro thanks to a brace from the Brazilian and a penalty from Cassano. Van Bommel hit the crossbar in the first half and Eto'o missed a huge chance from one meter out. The second half began with the Chivu's expulsion and the Rossoneri dominated until the end.


MILAN, April 2, 2011 – A very bitter pill to swallow for "Judas" Leonardo (as he was portrayed in the gigantic Last Supper banner by Rossoneri fans). Inter failed in their plans of jumping to the top of the standings when they lost 3-0 to an angry AC Milan, and now they remain 5 points behind them in the standings. Pato was the hero of the evening with his historic double and the icing on the cake was provided by a penalty from Cassano, who then disastrously got himself sent off for a second yellow card. But all of the Rossoneri players celebrated in the most important evening of the season as they prevented Inter, penalized by Chivu's second-half sending off for a professional foul as the last man, from playing their game.


suddenly pato Just forty-six seconds to release the tension; not even a full minute for Pato's goal to set off the powder keg start to the match as he lashed home after the ball had popped loose following Julio Cesar's save on Robinho's close-range shot. It was a cold shower for Inter, who Leonardo fielded with four attacking players; Sneijder behind a trident consisting of Pandev, Pazzini and Eto'o. AC Milan, with Van Bommel holding in midfield and Seedorf as the creator, played a high pressing game, for which Inter needed nearly 20 minutes to come to grips with. After 9 minutes Maicon handled a fireball from Seedorf in the box, but referee Rizzoli judged it to be involuntary. Inter's lucky escape had the effect of compacting them, however, and in the 19th minute they wasted their first big chance of the evening when Pazzini received a dangerous ball in the box but, somehow hypnotized, shot straight at Abbiati. But his attacks shook up Leonardo's formation and inevitably left it unbalanced and prone to counter-attacks. Pato was the clear point of reference, and it was extraordinary to watch his duels with Zanetti who, despite his 37 years, was shutting down spaces with the speed of a player 15 years his junior. In the 37th minute Van Bommel unleashed a long-range effort that deflected off Chivu and finished by smashing against the crossbar. But Inter was pushing more and spreading the play to the flanks, mostly on the one belonging to Maicon.