There was a feeling that Inter may have turned a corner after their win against Napoli due to the controlled manner in which they went about it. The game management that they showed at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza was rare.
That proved not to be the case as they drew 2-2 away at Monza on Saturday evening in dramatic fashion, and it felt like the Nerazzurri had reverted back to the more nervy and chaotic way of winning football matches, a way in which teams rarely win the Serie A title.
Inter refuse to make things easy
Inter are capable of scoring some of the most ruthless and devastating goals in Serie A and the opener after 10 minutes was a great example. The superb cross from Alessandro Bastoni caught the whole Monza defence napping and the alert and powerful run of Darmian meant he could steal a march on Carlos Augusto at the back post before poking in.
As has so commonly been the case in the past 18 months or so, though, Inter couldn’t maintain concentration or their lead for very long as in the 12th minute, Monza were level thanks to a wonderful left-footed finish from Patrick Ciurria, securing his first-ever Serie A goal.
It suddenly looked like a totally different game of football as Inter looked shaken and Monza grew with confidence, something the Inter fans must have been fearing. They started to concede more chances with a great one falling to Andrea Petagna. Inter were showing that they still have these periods of almost every game where any team can get at them.
Inter were let out of jail though, something that will not happen every week as they seek to get back into the title race. Pablo Mari was caught on the ball in the box by Lautaro Martinez when there appeared to be no danger at all and the Argentine had an easy finish to make it 2-1.
Simone Inzaghi’s side’s total refusal to kill off a game of football, coupled with Monza’s impressive display, meant that the points would be shared and the good work from earlier in the week was undone. A ball swung into the box in stoppage time appeared to be headed in by former Inter youngster Luca Caldirola, although it could be argued that it went in as a Denzel Dumfries own goal.
Monza look better than a relegation battle now
Monza’s start to the season was incredibly poor despite the investment that has been made into both the club and the playing squad over the past few years. They brought in a number of Serie A level players such as Petagna, Matteo Pessina, Stefano Sensi, Armando Izzo and others, but the Brianzoli lost their first five matches and the sixth, a 1-1 draw away at Lecce, proved to be when Giovanni Stroppa’s time ran out.
Rafaelle Palladino came in but Monza had looked so poor that it seemed impossible to imagine much of an upturn in form. They proved everyone wrong by beating Juventus, Sampdoria and Spezia to suddenly move out of the bottom three.
Results have since been more mixed but another three wins arrived and they showed against Inter and in previous games that there is an intensity and a base level of quality that should see them steer clear of a serious relegation battle. That quality was exhibited by Ciurria’s equaliser early in the game which was a very technically proficient goal.
Their persistence and refusal to accept a narrow defeat was rewarded with the late goal, one they almost built upon with a late winner.
Silvio Berlusconi and Adriano Galliani will back their side to get the points they need based on the recent improvement and this performance.
