Inter beaten in Florence

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FLORENCE – Inter lost 3-0 in Florence tonight after Babacar, Cuadrado and Tomovic all scored for the hosts. The Nerazzurri started well but found themselves behind in the 7th minute after Babacar lashed in a rasping effort from well outside the box.

With the crowd right behind them, Fiorentina continued to push forward. Barely sixty seconds later Cuadrado unleashed a dangerous shot towards the Inter goal, but Handanovic was equal to the effort.

The Nerazzurri tried to react, especially through Mauro Icardi. The Argentine came close with a fizzing shot on the turn.

Fiorentina’s attacks were unabated, however, and they soon doubled their lead through another long-range stunner. This time it was Cuadrado who cut in from the left, breezing past Medel to buy himself a yard of space. His blistering shot crashed off the post and into Handanovic’s net to make it 2-0 after just 19 minutes.

Inter tried to regroup and find a way back into the game via the flanks. D’Ambrosio caused confusion in the Fiorentina box, before coming close to clawing a goal back for his side in the 38th minute. Neto was equal to his shot, however.

Fiorentina finished the half as strongly as they’d started it, with Babacar once again looking dangerous. Handanovic was alert and the first half ended 2-0 in favour of the Viola.

Fiorentina were back on the front foot as soon as the second half kicked off, the Babacar/Cuadrado partnership once again looking threatening. On 58 minutes, the Senegalese forward shook off his marker and shot just wide from the edge of the area.

He was again involved in the 63rd minute, exchanging passes with Cuadrado to set the Colombian clean through on Handanovic, but the Inter goalkeeper did excellently to save his powerful effort.

The Nerazzurri came back at the hosts with Medel, but his shot was well wide and posed no problems for Neto. Palacio had a golden opportunity to get his side back in the game on 75 minutes, but his left-footed effort was not quite good enough to breach the Viola goal.

It would prove to be a costly miss, as Fiorentina made it 3-0 just one minute later. Tomovic showed great poise to find a way through the Inter defence and find space to get an unstoppable shot away.

Inter had one last chance before the final whistle, as D’Ambrosio tried a powerful shot from inside the area, but Neto was once again too good. The Nerazzurri return home empty-handed after a disappointing result in Florence.

FIORENTINA 3-0 INTER

Scorers: Babacar 7, Cuadrado 19, Tomovic 76.

Fiorentina: 1 Neto; 40 Tomovic, 2 Rodriguez, 15 Savic, 28 Alonso; 10 Aquilani, 7 Pizarro, 16 Kurtic; 14 Mati Fernandez (Vargas 77); 11 Cuadrado (Brillante 86), 30 Babacar (Bernardeschi 65).
Subs not used: 12 Tatarusanu, 21 Lupatelli, 5 Badelj, 19 Basanta, 20 Borja Valero, 23 Pasqual, 32 Lazzari, 55 Hegazi, 72 Ilicic.
Coach: Vincenzo Montella.

Inter: 1 Handanovic; 23 Ranocchia (Hernanes 59), 15 Vidic, 5 Juan Jesus; 33 D’Ambrosio, 90 M’Vila, 18 Medel, 10 Kovacic, 22 Dodò (Obi 67); 7 Osvaldo (Palacio 74), 9 Icardi.
Subs not used: 30 Carrizo, 46 Berni, 6 Andreolli, 17 Kuzmanovic, 25 Mbaye, 44 Krhin.
Coach: Walter Mazzarri.

Referee: Paolo Tagliavento (Terni).

Booked: Ranocchia 20, D’Ambrosio 52, Kurtic 53, Osvaldo 70, Tomovic 76.

Added time: 0+3 minutes.

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