Inter showed the necessary solidity to beat Sassuolo in Serie A yesterday afternoon rather than necessarily playing brilliant football.
This is the assessment in today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, who highlight the fact that the Nerazzurri virtually never came apart defensively or allowed the Neroverdi to overrun them.
Inter conceded in the second half after a big defensive mix-up allowed Sassuolo left-back Rogerio room to cross and midfielder Davide Frattesi an open header a couple yards from goal.
However, apart from this lapse Sassuolo were virtually unable to create chances all match.
The Neroverdi can cause problems for any opposition on their day, and keeping them as quiet as Inter did was no trivial accomplishment.
The Nerazzurri seemed to accept that they weren’t going to be able to play free-flowing football against an opponent as organized and physical as Sassuolo.
Rather, Inter focused on keeping a compact shape that slowed down the Emilians, and that picking their spots on the counterattack.
It was not an approach that resulted in the Nerazzuri’s most aesthetically appealing display, but it was an effective one that made the match look simpler than it perhaps was.
