Diary, Day 11 | Overhead Kicks and Homecomings | OneFootball

A red tide, loud and rhythmic. Thousands, all the way from Japan — festive, focused, on a mission. A grey morning, with scattered drops of rain softening the atmosphere. 25,000 people arriving gradually, filling the stadium with noise and anticipation. And then Inter. The same colors as always, with a new kit that shines on the pitch for the first time.

A match that had to be won — one that started off wrong, then turned around. Flipped by an overhead kick — that’s football — and sealed by a precise finish. Expected stars and new faces followed an unpredictable script.

Cristian Chivu’s first win as a coach: as a player, countless triumphs. Now his first in charge, achieved through a series of moments that made this Seattle debut a container of many stories. It all started with the fans from Saitama, who never stopped cheering — not even in the 92nd minute. Because Inter never stops either. It plays, attacks, insists. Always. Searching for victory.

Lautaro is the tireless captain. He fights, leads, carries the team on his back. And scores — even spectacularly. The bicycle kick came out of nowhere. Then, from the ground, a long moment of waiting — the ball seemingly pushed toward goal by sheer will. A signal, the spark that opened the path to the win, which finally arrived in stoppage time, delivered by a clinical strike.

Valentin Carboni, just eight months ago, was recovering from a serious injury. Weeks away from the pitch, training and rehab, the return to black and blue, his work ethic and desire. His quality, demanded by the coach, put at the service of the team — until the most beautiful reward: the winning goal, for him and for everyone.

And then the Esposito brothers: Sebastiano starting, Francesco Pio making his First Team debut by coming on for his brother. Eleven years ago he was running across the Nerazzurri youth pitches — now the circle closes, with a moment to share with family.

This is Inter.