The 2009/2010 season was the most successful season ever had by an Italian team, and it got off to a tremendous start for the Nerazzurri, however, it wasn’t easy by any means.
Inter faced the likes of Parma, AC Milan in the domestic campaign and kicked off their Champion’s League campaign with a group stage clash at home game against reigning champions and treble winners Barcelona, all of this within first month of the season.
As round four of the Serie A campaign came up, Inter were fresh off a draining 0-0 draw at home against Barcelona and were preparing to travel away to face Max Allegri’s Cagliari at the Stadio Sant’Elia.
Max Allegri was in his second year in charge as manager of Cagliari. After first three rounds, the Rossoblu only managed a point against Livorno and were coming off two consecutive losses in the league to Siena and Fiorentina.
Having reinforced the team with additions of goalkeeper Federico Marchetti, Daniele Dessena and the Portuguese League’s leading goalscorer from CD Nacional, Nene, Cagliari were hoping to be in a much better position and were anxious to turn their season around as soon as possible. With a visiting Inter side who had struggled at the Stadio Sant’Elia in recent years, the Rossoblu were ready to put up a fight and do anything possible to come away with points at home.
Allegri and Mourinho both had their respective teams lined up in a 4-3-1-2 formation. Mourinho had to rotate the squad due to the mid-week Champion’s League match against Barcelona, had Thiago Motta, Samuel and Chivu starting on the bench.
Julio Cesar stood in goal, Maicon, Ivan Cordoba, Lucio and Davide Santon completed the back four, behind a midfield trio of Zanetti, Cambiasso and Stankovic. Diego Milito and Samuel Eto’o formed the striking partnership with Sneijder as the trequartista dictating the attack.
Allegri had a similar lineup with Marchetti in goal, Marzoratti, Canini, Astori, Agostini in defense behind a midfield trio of Dessena, Conti and Biondini with Matri and Jeda in attack and Cossu slotted in behind the attackers as the trequartista.
Right from the kick-off, the weight of the mid-week Champion’s League match on the Inter line-up was evident. Despite the team retaining majority of the early possession, they were not able to create any scoring opportunities. Cagliari had thus far in the season struggled to score from open play, having gone 360 minutes without scoring and their only goals coming from the penalty spot.
This trend continued for the home side as Rossoblu got an early break when Matri was pushed down inside the box by Maicon. Referee Orsato immediately pointed to the spot, giving the home side golden opportunity to take the early lead. Jeda stepped up and converted from the spot, giving Cagliari early 1-0 lead at home inside fifteen minutes.
The early lead gave the hosts a glimmer of hope to secure three crucial points at home against the reigning Serie A champions. With the Rossoblu defending with 11 men in front of goal, Inter, despite retaining a majority of the possession, were unable to create scoring opportunities and only tested Marchetti from long range. Going into half-time score remained 1-0 in favor of Cagliari.
During half-time, Mourinho adjusted the line-up and immediately made two changes, bringing on Mario Balotelli and Thiago Motta. As play resumed, Cagliari initially were the stronger of the two sides, coming close twice to adding a second goal. Dessena tested Julio Cesar from long distance and managed to get the shot past Cesar, however the ball came off the post. Soon after the missed attempt, Cossu started a counter-attack for Cagliari and got in behind Inter’s defense to play a cross to the center where Biondini only had keeper to beat but headed the shot wide.
Despite Cagliari playing tough in defense and creating opportunities on the counter-attack, Inter continued fighting and pressing higher up the pitch and around the fifty-one minute mark, were rewarded for their efforts. Eto’o was pressing the Cagliari defense and after a short pass from Marchetti to Conti, forced a turnover which Diego Milito pounced on and scored to tie the game even 1-1.
Just four minutes later, second half substitute Thiago Motta found Milito’s run in behind Cagliari’s high defensive line with a brilliant over the top pass, leaving Milito with a one-on-one chance yet again against Marchetti. With the goal-keeper rushing on to close the gap, Milito lobbed the ball over the on-rushing Marchetti to score Inter’s second goal, completing a hard fought comeback.
Cagliari, knocked on the door to score another goal all game, and continued to put up a tough fight to draw level. With the stakes high on either side, both teams were playing aggressively putting everything on the line. Mourinho, vehemently arguing a foul not given for Samuel Eto’o, was ejected from the game by Orsato.
As the game edged closer to full-time, and being low on energy as Mourinho was forced to substitute on players at halftime who had played the full ninety minutes against Barcelona, Inter were putting everything on the line to hold-on to the one goal lead.
Matri, Cossu and Jeda all had a plethora of chances inside the penalty box, however they failed to score the equalizing goal for Cagliari and the game ended 1-2 in favor of the Nerazzurri, giving Inter their only second win at Stadio Sant’Elia since the 2004-05 season.