Every week SempreInter.com editorialist, Richard Hall, takes a look back at the glorious history of Inter by highlighting a certain match, hero or any other event in Inter’s history worthy of being labelled Nerazzurri Classic’s. Ahead of Sunday’s home fixture against Cagliari, Richard looks back at a fixture between the two teams where Oba Oba Martins emerged as the matchwinner.
The 2004/05 season was a one of change for the Nerazzurri. Owner Massimo Moratti took a less prominent role and let Giacinto Facchetti front the club as President. Roberto Mancini came in as head coach from Lazio and the squad had been strengthened. The mood outside Appiano Gentile was one of optimism and looking at the squad this seemed to be justified.
Cagliari entered the campaign with some deal of hope too. Their squad looked in a healthy state and whilst they may not have expected to challenge for the European places, they did not fear relegation. Veteran Gianfranco Zola was partnered up front by the then coveted David Suazo (soon to become an Inter player) and they had a strong midfield. By the time the game came around in week 31 Inter were performing admirably. They were competing in the top four whilst Cagliari were sitting comfortably in mid table. The two clubs had also met in the Coppa Italia quarter finals, with Inter finishing victorious after two legs winning 2-4 on aggregate.
No strangers to each other, the two teams met with the Nerazzurri looking for a strong finish in the league. After narrowly losing the Milan Derby they had bounced back well recording three wins and a draw. With only Juventus and Sampdoria of any note to play, this seemed possible but the run had to keep going against the Sardinians. Cagliari were also doing well, they had beaten Roma 3-0 and drawn twice, with only one defeat in the same period. More impressively they were scoring for fun, with six goals in two games.
The match itself started at an electric pace with Inter taking the game to the islanders. In the first moments both Julio Cruz an Esteban Cambiasso had seen their shots smothered by goalkeeper Gennaro Iezzo.
The Milanese were relentless and in the next twenty minutes Cruz, Obafemi Martins and Siniša Mihajlović all wasted chances. Martins and then Cruz again, tested Iezzo and the San Siro watched on is disbelief as the score remained 0-0, thanks to the excellent positioning of the Sardinian custodian.
Inter did get their break and it came just before half time. Martins (fantastic throughout), charged off down the left, his low ball to the edge if the six yard box was met by the incoming Zé Maria who tapped home obligingly. The fact that this was the Brazilians only goal for Inter and the fact he was that far up the pitch, speak volumes about the state of the game at that time.
The second half continued like the first with a deluge of chances. Martins was denied again by Iezzo early on and then had a penalty shout turned down. Cagliari then managed their first chance of the game but it went wide and only seemed to anger Inter. Again they attacked and Cruz came close.
It was the on the 65th minute that the game was sealed by Martins. Ze Maria returned the favour and played a ball high up the field as a Cagliari attack failed. The Nigerian forward, released by his Brazilian friend, took off at pace and the Sardinians were in trouble. A desperate Alessandro Agostini was out muscled and although Martins nearly went to ground, he somehow stayed on his feet and rounded the oncoming keeper, slotting the ball into the back of the net and ending all hopes of a comeback.
Inter continued to press as veteran substitute Christian Vieri unusually wasted a few chances. There were to be no goals however and the Nerazzurri left the field victorious but perhaps perplexed that the margin was not a lot greater. It was total domination but perhaps just not with the finishing touches. Inter went on to finish third and win the Coppa Italia whilst Cagliari finished a respectable tenth.
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