The Cult of Calcio
·24 November 2024
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Yahoo sportsThe Cult of Calcio
·24 November 2024
Defending Serie A champions Inter put a lowly Hellas Verona to the sword in Saturday’s one-sided league encounter at Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi. Simone Inzaghi’s side ran riot in Veneto, netting five unanswered first-half goals en route to a stunning 5-0 victory.
In doing so, Inter leapfrogged Napoli in the standings. However, they sit beneath table-topping Atalanta on goal difference. It takes nothing away from Inter’s outrageous first-half performance at the Bentegodi, which inspired them to a 14th consecutive away league game against Verona without losing.
Joaquin Correa opened the floodgates in his first Serie A start for Inter in over two years. He then tied up Marcus Thuram for the second. The Frenchman doubled his tally shortly after, putting clear daylight between the sides midway through the first half.
With Verona in a knockdown, Stefan de Vrij bagged his first goal of the season with a clinical finish toward the end of the first half. Yann Bisseck put the icing on the cake with a superb strike on the stroke of halftime. Little did anyone know it would be the final score.
After extending their unbeaten streak in all competitions to 11 matches, Inter will return to their UEFA Champions League duty in good spirits as we look at our player ratings.
Yann Sommer – 6
With Verona attempting just two shots on target, the Swiss veteran spent most of the Saturday afternoon as a bystander.
Yann Bisseck – 7.5
It was a well-taken goal from the German defender. He was a thorn in Verona’s side for the better part of the first half, frequently stretching his legs to help out in attack.
Stefan de Vrij – 7
In addition to holding up his end of the bargain at the back, the Dutch center-back showcased his goalscoring instincts with a finish worthy of a top-class striker.
Alessandro Bastoni – 7
Another day in the office for the Italian star! He was faultless at the back and omnipresent in the build-up, delivering another remarkable performance.
Matteo Darmian – 6.5
Despite his offensive shortcomings, the 34-year-old wingback had a fantastic game, neutralizing Verona’s threat on the flank while providing depth in the front third.
Nicolo Barella – 6.5
Not as flashy as can be, the diminutive midfielder kept Inter’s engine room running like clockwork, injecting energy and determination into his side despite having nothing to show on the board.
Kristjan Asllani – 7
Back to the Inter starting XI for the first time since mid-September, the Albanian playmaker was up to the occasion, setting up De Vrij for Inter’s fourth.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan – 7
Though you won’t see his name on the scoresheet, the Armenian ace reigned supreme in the midfield, connecting the dots between the lines with pinpoint precision.
Carlos Augusto – 7
It’s been a month since he last played for Inter, but the Brazilian left-back showed no signs of rustiness. On the contrary, he was as sharp as he was before the injury.
Joaquin Correa – 8
Despite being on the fringes at Giuseppe Meazza, the Argentine forward took full advantage of Inzaghi’s decision to hand him his first start this season, tallying a goal and two delightful assists.
Marcus Thuram – 8
Unplayable! After setting Correa up for the opener, he netted two identical goals, escaping the offside trap before running past Lorenzo Montipo and slotting the ball into an empty net.
Piotr Zielinski – 6.5
Langsung
Langsung