MILAN – Inter failed to capitalise on an excellent first-half performance this evening, with Udinese scoring twice after the break to seal a comeback win at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. 

The Nerazzurri started brightly, setting a high tempo and pressing Udinese all over the pitch. In the 22nd minute, Inter were a whisker away from taking the lead. Guarin took up the ball on the left, leaving Piris for dead before cutting the ball back for Kovacic. The Croat unleashed a howitzer of an effort towards the opposition goal, but it cannoned back off the crossbar. Palacio pounced on the rebound, but the Udinese defence somehow managed to scramble it away with the woodwork still rattling. 

Barely 60 seconds later, Medel let fly with a fearsome long-range effort that whistled past the post. Udinese tried to fight fire with fire, but Di Natale’s left-footed shot failed to trouble Handanovic’s goal. On 44 minutes, the Friulian outfit again threatened, this time through Badu, but the Ghanaian’s header was easy fodder for the Inter goalie. 

Udinese could be forgiven for thinking they’d got to half-time unscathed, but Mauro Icardi had other ideas. After Fredy Guarin’s eye-of-the-needle pass carved the Udinese defence wide open, Icardi sprang the offside trap and made no mistake in firing past Karnezis, ensuring that Inter went in 1-0 up at the break.

Udinese came out fighting in the second half, and drew level on 60 minutes. Bruno Fernandes controlled well before unleashing a looping effort that left Handanovic with no chance. Unperturbed, Inter pushed forward for a winner, Kovacic’s low strike fizzing inches wide of the post.

Cruelly, the Udinese winner came from Palacio’s poor back-pass. Thereau latched onto the loose ball, sidestepping Handanovic and stroking home into an empty net. Inter tried to react, especially through the dangerous-looking Osvaldo and Guarin, but there was to be no reprieve. 

INTER 1-2 UDINESE
Scorers: Icardi 44, Fernandes 60, Thereau 71.

Inter: 1 Handanovic; 55 Nagatomo, 23 Ranocchia, 5 Juan Jesus, 22 Dodo (Bonazzoli 90); 13 Guarin, 18 Medel (D’Ambrosio 88) , 17 Kuzmanovic; 8 Palacio, 9 Icardi (Osvaldo 67), 10 Kovacic.
Subs not used: 30 Carrizo, 46 Berni, 6 Andreolli, 14 Campagnaro, 15 Vidic, 20 Obi, 25 Mbaye, 44 Krhin, 90 M’Vila.
Coach: Roberto Mancini.

Udinese: 31 Karnezis; 75 Heurtaux, 5 Danilo, 89 Piris; 27 Widmer, 7 Badu, 19 Guilherme, 6 Allan (Pinzi 81), 26 Pasquale; 8 Fernandes; 10 Di Natale (Thereau 59).
Subs not used: 1 Brkic, 22 Scuffet, 2 Wague, 14 Belmonte, 18 Bubnjic, 21 Hallberg, 33 Kone, 34 Gabriel Silva, 82 Geijo, 95 Evangelista.
Coach: Andrea Stramaccioni.

Referee: Andrea Gervasoni (Mantova).
Booked: Dodo 48, Pinzi 86, Bonazzoli 90+1.
Added time: 1 + 4 minutes.

MILAN – Dejan Stankovic received a rapturous reception on his return to the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza tonight. Though part of the opposing set-up on this occasion, the Inter faithful greeted the Serbian with warm applause.

Il Drago spent ten years at the club, and the black and blue of the Nerazzurri jersey still runs hot in his veins: “I had the honour of playing for this club and that will never leave me. Nobody can ever take that away,” he wrote on the day of his farewell in 2013.

It was inevitable, then, that the Nerazzurri fans would greet Stankovic with the eternal warmth and affection they hold for him. It was an emotional moment for a true warrior who proudly fought for the Inter colours, and a fitting tribute to a great man.

Welcome back, Deki!

]]>

MILAN – Just a few minutes before kick-off between Inter and Udinese, Nerazzurri sporting director Piero Ausilio found time to speak to Sky Sport Italia.

“It’s great to see Stramaccioni and Stankovic again, though it’s quite strange them being on the opposing team,” began Ausilio.

The subject of conversation soon turned to the transfer market: “My trip to London? Well, I finally got the chance to see something, because I’ve not had much time this year. Going to watch matches and players is part of my job.

“Mancini is still assessing his squad. He’s working on the lads and is happy with the way they’re reacting to that. When the Christmas break comes round in two weeks’ time, we’ll weigh up whether there’s work to do,” he concluded.