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MILAN – Walter Mazzarri has given the team a two-day break after they flew back into Milan at 7:00 this morning following last night’s Europa League triumph over Stjarnan in Reykjavik.
The Nerazzurri will now report back to the Centro Sportivo Angelo Moratti on Saturday afternoon to start working towards their play-off return leg at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on Thursday 28 August.
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REYKJAVIK – Walter Mazzarri was understandably satisfied after an efficient Inter display in Reykjavik saw them triumph on an away trip that had all the makings of the proverbial banana skin.
Speaking to Inter Channel and the gathered journalists following tonight’s 3-0 win at Laugardalsvöllur Stadium, the Nerazzurri manager explained: “It was good that we managed to break the deadlock. It wasn’t easy at the start because they got men behind the ball and battened down the hatches, waiting to strike on the counter. We were smart enough to bide our time and wait for the goal to come. Getting the second straight after the restart was important too, and it came following a nicely worked move. Up until that point we were very careful in making sure we weren’t caught on the counter-attack. Maybe we started to wane a bit physically towards the end and we ended up letting them in a few times.”
3-0 is a good result but it’s only the first half of the tie. Asked if he expected a big turnout at the Meazza for the return leg, Mazzarri replied: “It’s our first home game of the season in front of the fans and I hope there will be a big crowd. It would be really nice for the lads.”
Commenting then on some of the players’ indivdual performances, the Nerazzurri boss went on: “Hernanes did pretty well. He’s improving, as all the players are. He and Mateo played well tonight, because they had to work hard in defence and attack. I’ve mentioned those two but overall I’m happy with how all the lads played. M’Vila has come on loads, we knew he needed to get games under his belt. He’s an imposing figure who stays calm and is confident both building play and breaking it up. Dodo? Yes, he did well too. He has to keep going now.”
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REYKJAVIK – Mission accomplished. Inter come home from Iceland with a three-goal cushion and one foot in the Europa League group stage.
It took 40 minutes for Mauro Icardi to break Stjarnan’s resistance but once the Nerazzurri were in front there was no looking back. Dodo made it two right after the break before D’Ambrosio came off the bench to notch a third shortly before full time. Walter Mazzarri’s men head into next Thursday’s return leg firmly in the driving seat.
It was 23:00 back in Italy when Inter took to the field for their first competitive match of 2014/15 wearing their smart new home kit. The hosts, whose name means ‘star’ in Icelandic, were hoping to shine on the same pitch where Marcello Lippi lost his first game as Italy coach.
Walter Mazzarri lined his men up in a 3-5-1-1, Handanovic behind a rearguard of Ranocchia, Vidic and Juan Jesus, with Jonathan and Dodo providing width in midfield, M’Vila flanked by Hernanes and Kovacic in the centre and Botta in behind Icardi. Stjarnan responded with an extremely compact and decidedly cautious 4-2-3-1.
Inter found their feet as the game wore on but started brightly enough. Ranocchia went close to opening the scoring midway through the half when he met Jonathan’s corner with a towering header. Jonsson was beaten but Finsen hacked clear off the line.
The Icelanders were certainly in no mood for rolling over. Unbeaten in 15 games since 18 June before meeting Inter, they’re enjoying one of their best campaigns ever and currently sit top of the league. Their defensive solidity has been constructed by their coach and former player Runes Paul Sigmundsson and it took the Nerazzuri 40 minutes to find a way through.
When the opening goal eventually came it was from the boot of Mauro Icardi. The Argentine frontman clinically displayed his finishing prowess following a fine cross by Dodo, one of the most impressive performers on the night.
Mazzarri’s men headed in at the break a goal to the good, and deservedly so.
The coach clearly instructed his charges to keep their foot on the pedal during his half-time team talk because there was no letting up after the restart. Indeed they added a second within minutes of returning to the pitch.
Jonathan latched onto Hernanes’ through ball and stood up a cross for Dodo at the far post, manufacturing a goal straight out of the Mazzarri handbook. 2-0 and the scoreline was now starting to reflect what we’d seen on the pitch thus far.
Osvaldo made his competitive debut in black and blue when he replaced Botta on the hour mark, and minutes later Vidic picked up the first (and only) yellow card of the game for holding onto his man, having been on the receiving end of a foul that had gone unseen by Mr Strahonja.
Sigmundsson shuffled his pack with 20 minutes remaining and threw on some extra weight up front as Toft and Johannsson replaced Runarsson and Gunnarsson. Yet it was Finsen who offered one of the few threats on Inter’s goal with a long-range effort that was smartly dealt with by Handanovic.
Osvaldo showed what he’s about in the 86th minute and he was inches away from a debut goal. Artfully shaking off the attentions of two men, he struck a curling finish that was tipped onto the woodwork by Stjarnan’s No.1 with the feintest of touches.
It was to be a night of firsts for Danilo D’Ambrosio, however, as he opened his Nerazzurri account with seconds of normal time to play. Kuzmanovic – moments after coming on for Hernanes – laid off for the Italian full-back to crash home his finish high into the net in full view of the travelling Inter supporters.
So 3-0 it is after the first leg and now it’s back to the Meazza for the second installment next Thursday – Inter’s first home match of the new season. Don’t miss it!
Stjarnan 0-3 Inter (HT 0-1)
Scorers: Icardi 40, Dodo 47, D’Ambrosio 89.
Stjarnan: Jonsson; Vemmelund, Laxdal, Rauschenberg, Arnason; Johannsson A., Gunnarsson (Johannsson G. 69), Runarsson (Toft 69); Bjorgvinsson, Punyed, Finsen.
Subs not used: Johannesson, Laxdal, Aegisson, Ottesen, Blondal.
Coach: Rúnar Páll Sigmundsson.
Inter: Handanovic; Ranocchia, Vidic, Juan Jesus; Jonathan (D’Ambrosio 75), Hernanes (Kuzmanovic 89), M’Vila, Kovacic, Dodo; Botta (Osvaldo 61); Icardi.
Subs not used: Carrizo, Andreolli, Osvaldo, Guarin, Obi.
Coach: Walter Mazzarri.
Referee: Marijo Strahonja.
Assistants: Sinisa Premuzaj, Igor Krmar.
Fourth official: Fran Jovic.
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REYKJAVIK – Here are the starting line-ups named by Runes Paul Sigmundsson and Walter Mazzarri for tonight’s 2014/15 UEFA Europa League play-off first leg fixture between Stjarnan and Inter at Laugardalsvöllur Stadium. The match is due to kick off at 23:00 CEST.
Inter: 1 Handanovic; 23 Ranocchia, 15 Vidic, 5 Juan Jesus; 2 Jonathan, 88 Hernanes, 90 M’Vila, 10 Kovacic, 22 Dodò; 19 Botta; 9 Icardi.
Subs: 6 Andreolli, 7 Osvaldo, 13 Guarin, 17 Kuzmanovic, 20 Obi, 30 Carrizo, 33 D’Ambrosio.
Stjarnan: 1 Jonsson; 4 Vemmelund, 9 Laxdal D., 29 Rauschenberg, 14 Arnason; 7 Johannsson A., 16 Runarsson; 11 Bjorgvinsson, 8 Punyed, 17 Finsen; 10 Gunnarsson.
Subs: 25 Johannesson, 2 Laxdal J., 12 Aegisson, 20 Ottesen, 23 Blondal, 24 Toft, 27 Johannsson G.
Referee: Marijo Strahonja.
Assistants: Sinisa Premuzaj and Igor Krmar.
Fourth official: Fran Jovic.
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