Motta double, Balotelli keep Inter ahead of pack
Source: Agencies |
April 5, 2010, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
MIDFIELDER Thiago Motta scored twice to help suspension-hit Inter Milan maintain its slim lead in Italian Serie A with a 3-0 home win over Bologna on Saturday.
The Brazilian's goals were separated by a 52nd-minute effort from 19-year-old forward Mario Balotelli, who returned to action after being frozen out for a month following a row with coach Jose Mourinho.
Second-placed AS Roma, which stayed in the hunt by beating Inter last week, remained just one point behind thanks to a 1-0 win at Bari.
AC Milan stayed third after snapping a three-match winless streak with a 3-2 victory at Cagliari.
With six matches to go, Inter has 66 points, Roma is on 65 while Milan stayed in contention with 63.
Sampdoria boosted its bid for Italy's final Champions League place when it beat Chievo Verona 2-1 away to pull level on points with fourth-placed Palermo, which lost 0-2 at Sicilian rival Catania.
Juventus missed the chance to join it on 51 points when it went down 0-3 at Udinese.
Inter, without suspended quartet Samuel Eto'o, Lucio, Maicon and captain Javier Zanetti, enjoyed most of the possession from the start with Bologna's only real chance coming early on when Adailton hit the post with a freekick. But, as in last Wednesday's 1-0 win over CSKA Moscow in the Champions League quarterfinal first leg, it wasted many chances before Motta broke the deadlock with a diagonal shot just before the half hour.
Balotelli, who was included in the team after apologizing to Mourinho, sidefooted home to double the lead before Motta sealed the victory with a crisp shot five minutes from time.
"We have to keep our concentration because we know that Roma and Milan are strong," Motta said. "We can't let points slip and have to keep going forward in this manner. Everybody has to give their all in every match, like they did today. Every game between now and the end of the season will be like a final."
Roma stayed hot on Inter's heels after Mirko Vucinic sprinted on to a Luca Toni pass and produced a cool finish for its winner in the 19th.
The Brazilian's goals were separated by a 52nd-minute effort from 19-year-old forward Mario Balotelli, who returned to action after being frozen out for a month following a row with coach Jose Mourinho.
Second-placed AS Roma, which stayed in the hunt by beating Inter last week, remained just one point behind thanks to a 1-0 win at Bari.
AC Milan stayed third after snapping a three-match winless streak with a 3-2 victory at Cagliari.
With six matches to go, Inter has 66 points, Roma is on 65 while Milan stayed in contention with 63.
Sampdoria boosted its bid for Italy's final Champions League place when it beat Chievo Verona 2-1 away to pull level on points with fourth-placed Palermo, which lost 0-2 at Sicilian rival Catania.
Juventus missed the chance to join it on 51 points when it went down 0-3 at Udinese.
Inter, without suspended quartet Samuel Eto'o, Lucio, Maicon and captain Javier Zanetti, enjoyed most of the possession from the start with Bologna's only real chance coming early on when Adailton hit the post with a freekick. But, as in last Wednesday's 1-0 win over CSKA Moscow in the Champions League quarterfinal first leg, it wasted many chances before Motta broke the deadlock with a diagonal shot just before the half hour.
Balotelli, who was included in the team after apologizing to Mourinho, sidefooted home to double the lead before Motta sealed the victory with a crisp shot five minutes from time.
"We have to keep our concentration because we know that Roma and Milan are strong," Motta said. "We can't let points slip and have to keep going forward in this manner. Everybody has to give their all in every match, like they did today. Every game between now and the end of the season will be like a final."
Roma stayed hot on Inter's heels after Mirko Vucinic sprinted on to a Luca Toni pass and produced a cool finish for its winner in the 19th.
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