Crotone loss dents Inter’s Europe hopes
Print Edition
INTER Milan’s hopes of qualifying for Europe were dented yesterday when it suffered a shock 1-2 defeat at relegation-threatened Crotone in Serie A.
Inter’s dreams of sneaking into the UEFA Champions League were already over but it now faces the prospect of failing to qualify for the Europa League following a first-half double from Diego Falcinelli.
Inter slipped to seventh, two points behind AC Milan and the last qualifying spot for the Europa League. The two Milan teams face off in a derby on Saturday.
Crotone gave itself hope of escaping relegation as it moved to within three points of 17th-placed Empoli with a second successive victory.
Crotone took a deserved lead in the 18th minute when Gary Medel handled in the area and Falcinelli drilled the resulting penalty into the bottom left corner. Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic guessed the right way but could not make the save.
Falcinelli doubled his tally four minutes later as he narrowly avoided being caught offside, sprinted forward and lifted the ball over Handanovic.
It was almost 3-0 shortly before halftime but Joao Miranda stopped Marcus Rohden’s goal-bound effort with his chest near the line.
Inter got back into the match in the 65th. Ever Banega’s corner was nodded on by Geoffrey Kondogbia for Danilo D’Ambrosio to volley in from close range. The visitors almost leveled 7 minutes later but Eder’s effort rebounded off the inside of an upright.
Inter poured forward but Crotone held on through a tense 7 minutes of stoppage time before the final whistle sparked scenes of celebration at the Stadio Scida.
Meanwhile, Edin Dzeko continued his battle to finish the season as the league’s top goalscorer with the third goal in AS Roma’s comfortable 3-0 victory at Bologna.
It was Dzeko’s 24th Serie A goal this campaign and sees him remain joint top with Torino forward Andrea Belotti, who also scored yesterday.
Juventus forward Gonzalo Higuain is next with 21 goals.
Elsewhere yesterday, it was: Milan 4, Palermo 0; Sampdoria 2, Fiorentina 2; Torino 3, Cagliari 2; and Udinese 3, Genoa 0.
Napoli was taking on Lazio later.
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