Inter 2 - Lazio 1: Inter continue their winning streak

Inter met Lazio last night in the battle to secure fourth place halfway into the league. Lazio took the lead thanks to Rocchi, but Inter equalised through Milito just before the break, and then a spirited second half display from Inter ensured all three points, and also the fourth place in the league, after Pazzini scored in the second half.

Inter started with a 4-4-2 formation with Milito partnering Pazzini up front, Nagatomo was deployed in midfield, playing in front of Maicon while Sneijder started on the bench. Lazio began with a 4-3-1-2 formation with Rocchi and Klose leading their attack. The match started in a fast pace with both teams vying for possession. The first corner of the match was for Inter after just 5 minutes on the clock, but they failed to convert from the opportunity. Alvarez, who was preferred over Sneijder in the starting line-up, was lively, but yet again,was too late in releasing the ball, therefore losing possession for Inter. Alvarez had a wonderful opportunity in the 12th minute, when Marchetti’s throw fell right to Alvarez, who blasted the ball just high over the cross bar from 20 yards out. The very next minute Lazio should have been 1-0 up, when Rocchi found himself one-on-one with Julio Cesar. But Cesar made himself big enough, and Rocchi’s shot, though it beat Cesar, rebounded off the post and was cleared to safety. Inter kept losing possession, giving away the ball cheaply many times, but Lazio failed to take advantage of Inter’s slackness. It looked as if Inter players were still thinking about the derby victory over Milan and were taking this game easy, regardless of what Ranieri and Moratti said in the press in the build-up to this match.However, in the 30th minute Rocchi collected a pass from Ladesma, and shot across Cesar to put Lazio in the lead. Lucio was slow to react, and should have really closed down Rocchi. Inter could have equalised through Nagatomo in the 34th minute, but the Japanese international delayed his shot, waiting to shoot with this left, rather than poking the ball with his right boot past a charging Marchetti. Though there were some sparks from the Inter players, though they kept giving away the ball cheaply, without being able to string even 3 passes. It all changed in the 44th minute, when Alvarez played a beautiful 1-2 with Milito, who raced past the defenders and shot across the body of Marchetti to level the scores just before half-time.Inter substituted a below-par Alvarez and Chivu, and brought on Sneijder and Obi at the start of the second half. With Sneijder on the pitch, Inter changed to a 4-3-1-2 formation, while Lazio switched to a 4-4-2. Sneijder looked in superb touch, providing accurate passes to Maicon who kept charging on the flanks. He even tried an audacious shot from 30 yards out, which was on target, but was parried away by a scrambling Marchetti. Inter were pegging Lazio back, and in the 62nd minute they were rewarded for the perseverance, when Lucio lobbed the ball over the Lazio defence, and Pazzini expertly lobbed the ball past the Lazio keeper. Lazio should have equalized through Klose the very next minute, but his shot was expertly saved by Cesar who got down just in time to deny the German international. With Inter leading 2-1, and with 15 minutes left to play, Inter substituted the goal scorer Milito and brought on the young midfielder Faraoni to see off the rest of the game. Though it was a dangerous ploy against an attacking Lazio outfit, the defence held strong and Lazio had no clear chances after that.

The win now takes Inter to eight straight victories in all competitions, and seven straight wins in Serie A. They now leapfrog Lazio to fourth place with 35 points, six behind leaders Juventus, and three behind Udinese who sit in the 3rd place – the last Champions League spot. Inter next meet Napoli in the Coppa Italia on 26th of January.