Inter sink Milan 4-0 in derby destruction
Serie A champions Inter Milan humiliated 10-man AC Milan 4-0 to emphatically earn the derby
spoils on Saturday.
Inter were short of ideas in last weekend's opening 1-1 draw
with Bari but Jose Mourinho's side surged to victory thanks to
some neat interplay and Gennaro Gattuso's bizarre sending off.
Thiago Motta coolly curled in the first goal on 29 minutes
after quick passes from fellow close-season signings Samuel
Eto'o and Diego Milito.
Former Genoa frontman Milito then doubled the lead from the
penalty spot at a packed San Siro.
Gattuso had hauled down the runaway Eto'o to concede the
penalty and the Inter bench, who were initially jumping for joy,
reacted furiously when he was only booked.
The Italy midfielder then asked to come off with an injury
but substitute Clarence Seedorf was not ready, meaning Gattuso
stayed on the pitch long enough to hack down surprise debutant
Wesley Sneijder and finally receive his marching orders.
HORROR HALF
Rookie Milan coach Leonardo's horror half was compounded by
Inter right back Maicon finishing off another fine one-two move
with Argentina's Milito, to make it 3-0 just before the break.
In the second half Leonardo threw on Seedorf, new signing
Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Massimo Ambrosini, who started on the
bench despite being club captain following the retirement of the
watching Paolo Maldini.
The trio stemmed the tide for a while until Dejan Stankovic
blasted in from 25 metres midway through the second period to
further embarrass Milan, who had looked bright in their 2-1 win
at Siena on the opening day last Saturday.
Inter coach Mourinho had said Dutch playmaker Sneijder would
not play, having only signed from Real Madrid on Friday, but it
was a typical ploy from the charismatic Portuguese.
Sneijder had two good efforts from distance but wasted some
dead ball situations after starting in place of Ghana midfielder
Sulley Muntari, who Mourinho has said may be suffering with his
energy levels because he is fasting for Ramadan.
soccernet.