Nervy Inter sees off Catania
Source: Agencies |
October 26, 2009, Monday
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SULLEY Muntari and Wesley Sneijder were on target to give Italian Serie A leader Inter Milan a 2-1 win over Catania at the San Siro on Saturday.
Ghana midfielder Muntari put the champion in front on 13 minutes when his lob into the box towards Samuel Eto'o was allowed to bounce into goal as Catania keeper Andrea Campagnolo stood motionless.
Dutchman Sneijder curled in a splendid right-footed free kick to double the lead just past the half-hour mark shortly after Patrick Vieira had thrashed the ball against the bar from short range.
Inter looked comfortable until Catania substitute Giuseppe Mascara set up a nervy finale by converting a penalty six minutes from time, given when Inter keeper Julio Cesar brought down Gianvito Plasmati.
But the host held on for a triumph that gave it 22 points from nine games, two more than second-placed Sampdoria, which had briefly occupied the top spot by thrashing 10-man Bologna 4-1.
"I'm happy with how we played in the first half and how we fought in the second," Inter boss Jose Mourinho, whose side's winless run in the Champions League continued with a 2-2 draw with Dynamo Kiev last Wednesday, told Sky television.
"It's never easy after a Champions League match. I changed a few players. We had some chances to close the match which we didn't take."
Samp forward Giampaolo Pazzini, wearing a face mask after breaking his nose in last weekend's 1-1 draw at Lazio, touched in to give his side an early lead before midfielder Daniele Mannini volleyed home the second in the 17th.
Reto Ziegler then drove in from outside the box before Mannini nodded in an Antonio Cassano cross and make it 4-0 with just over a third of the match played.
Substitute Pablo Osvaldo took advantage of poor defending in the second half to pull one back for struggling Bologna, which had striker Marco Di Vaio sent off for dissent after it went 0-3 down in its first match under new coach Franco Colomba.
In France, champion Girondins Bordeaux moved to the top of Ligue 1 with a 3-0 home win over Le Mans while former leader Olympique Lyon was crushed 1-4 at struggling Nice on Saturday.
Bordeaux has 22 points from 10 games, two ahead of Lyon which slumped to third following its second consecutive league defeat.
Monaco climbed to second on 21 points with a 3-1 win at 10-man Boulogne thanks to two goals by Ligue 1 top scorer Nene, who took his tally to nine goals this season.
Montpellier squandered the opportunity to go top when it lost 0-3 at Stade Rennes. The promoted side stays on 20 points, behind Lyon on goal difference.
Ghana midfielder Muntari put the champion in front on 13 minutes when his lob into the box towards Samuel Eto'o was allowed to bounce into goal as Catania keeper Andrea Campagnolo stood motionless.
Dutchman Sneijder curled in a splendid right-footed free kick to double the lead just past the half-hour mark shortly after Patrick Vieira had thrashed the ball against the bar from short range.
Inter looked comfortable until Catania substitute Giuseppe Mascara set up a nervy finale by converting a penalty six minutes from time, given when Inter keeper Julio Cesar brought down Gianvito Plasmati.
But the host held on for a triumph that gave it 22 points from nine games, two more than second-placed Sampdoria, which had briefly occupied the top spot by thrashing 10-man Bologna 4-1.
"I'm happy with how we played in the first half and how we fought in the second," Inter boss Jose Mourinho, whose side's winless run in the Champions League continued with a 2-2 draw with Dynamo Kiev last Wednesday, told Sky television.
"It's never easy after a Champions League match. I changed a few players. We had some chances to close the match which we didn't take."
Samp forward Giampaolo Pazzini, wearing a face mask after breaking his nose in last weekend's 1-1 draw at Lazio, touched in to give his side an early lead before midfielder Daniele Mannini volleyed home the second in the 17th.
Reto Ziegler then drove in from outside the box before Mannini nodded in an Antonio Cassano cross and make it 4-0 with just over a third of the match played.
Substitute Pablo Osvaldo took advantage of poor defending in the second half to pull one back for struggling Bologna, which had striker Marco Di Vaio sent off for dissent after it went 0-3 down in its first match under new coach Franco Colomba.
In France, champion Girondins Bordeaux moved to the top of Ligue 1 with a 3-0 home win over Le Mans while former leader Olympique Lyon was crushed 1-4 at struggling Nice on Saturday.
Bordeaux has 22 points from 10 games, two ahead of Lyon which slumped to third following its second consecutive league defeat.
Monaco climbed to second on 21 points with a 3-1 win at 10-man Boulogne thanks to two goals by Ligue 1 top scorer Nene, who took his tally to nine goals this season.
Montpellier squandered the opportunity to go top when it lost 0-3 at Stade Rennes. The promoted side stays on 20 points, behind Lyon on goal difference.
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