With the knowledge of third place being a point away given we won and Torino did us a favour and beat Roma, it was ever so important that we got those all important three points. We’re at the stage of the season where wins are all that are acceptable and given the point gap ever more important for our cause. It was not to be. We left Genoa red faced after an abysmal night in front of goal and out of the Champions League running entirely. It simply wasn’t good enough. Especially after an impressive performance against Napoli, defeating Genoa who’ve nothing to play for should have been a formality.
We started much brighter than on Saturday night against Napoli and were undoubtedly the better team across the game at the Marassi. Miranda, forward from a corner, channelled his inner Cruyff by turning Genoa’s full back inside out before teeing up Perisic who’s header looked dead cert to give us a second early lead in as many games but it was not to be as Lamanna would produce a spectacular save. It was very rare throughout the first half that we weren’t holding the ball and as the half went on our dominance was reflected by the number of goal scoring chances we were presented with.
Our defence was solid and for a good 35 minutes limited Genoa, on their rare attacks to hitting and hoping. Melo was being his usual self and despite a clean tackle early doors returned to his usual rough tackling ways and was lucky not to go in the book at least once. Palacio was the best performer in the first half, always working up and down that right wing and making plenty chances. He teed up Icardi who opted for placement over power which ultimately proved costly as it was cleared off goal line whereas a power header would’ve had no problems. Perisic got a near carbon copy of his headed chance from Saturday and the result was the same, no goal. Handanovic was a spectator for the majority of the first half with only a few goal kicks keeping him involved before he was called into action twice in quick succession from the ever dangerous Pavoletti, who forced him into a point blank save just moments before half time. With all these chances you have to convert at least one. We didn’t though, our strikers today couldn’t fall out a boat at sea and hit the water let alone the goal.
We dominated the second half like we did the first but fatigue set in and we were sloppy and our fortunes infront of goal didn’t improve whatsoever. Palacio had ran himself to the ground and should’ve been subbed earlier on and it was bemusing as to why more attacking subs weren’t made sooner to try and give us that go ahead goal which somehow we never had with our countless chances.
Handanovic, saved us on a number of occasions but hey, what’s new? Our defending went out the window in the last 20 minutes and Genoa were getting equal scoring opportunities. In the last quarter of an hour they deservedly after some lethargic attempts at clearing the ball left De Maio with the simple task of hitting home from point blank.
Perhaps this was just not our day but this is the great FC Internazionale Milano and we shouldn’t be subjected to such atrocious attacking efforts after a huge win on the weekend over a team, until only recently in real contention for the title. Totti came on for Roma against Torino with five to go and netted twice, meanwhile Icardi, Palacio and Perisic all grabbed at minimum hat trick’s of misses each. My hat has to come off to Lamanna however, had it been another goalkeeper on the night would we have scored? Probably yes but he was a brick wall and was simply exceptional in the absence of Perin.
It is all good and well dominating but what is the point when we can’t back that up with goals? Mancini looked to have got it right early on but it became oh so clear that it was wrong as the game progressed. For another year, Goodbye Champions League, maybe next year!
