During the successful seasons under the leadership of Roberto Mancini, the Nerazzurri enjoyed one of the most dominant winning streaks in team history.
Midway through the 2007-08 season as Inter prepared to take on Parma at San Siro, the Nerazzurri had gone though a season and a half with only one loss and were riding on a tremendous run of seven consecutive wins in the league. When in such form, and facing a struggling Parma team in the middle of a two-game losing streak, should’ve been easy work for the home side.
However, the football gods had other ideas and the home crowd witnessed one of the most memorable come-back wins in recent memory.
Parma, under the management of Domenico Di Carlo were off to a horrendous start to the season. Having been shutout almost half their games going into round nineteen match at San Siro, the gialloblu were desperate to turn their season around by securing points against league leaders.
Hoping for the momentum to swing in their favor, Di Carlo chose a 4-4-1-1 lineup to allow his team to best setup for a low-block and counter-attack tactics
Starting in goal for gialloblu was Luca Bucci with the defensive four of Marco Rossi, Fernando Cuoto, Ferdinand Coly and Damiano Zenoni. Midfield quartet of Reginaldo, Stefano Marrone, Luca Cigarini, and Paolo Castellini. Lone striker upfront was Bernardo Corradi and Andrea Pisanu as the trequartista.
Roberto Mancini’s starting lineup was unchanged, with Julio Cesar in goal, Nicolas Burdisso, Marco Materazzi, Ivan Cordoba and Maxwell in defense. The midfield trio consisted of Javier Zanetti, Esteban Cambiasso and Maniche. Luis Jimenez played as the trequartista behind the dynamic duo of Ibrahimovic and Crespo. Among the many key absences for Inter, were starting center back Walter Samuel, Luis Figo and Olivier Dacourt, who all missed the match due to injuries.
With everything going in their favor leading up to the match, Inter started the game very positively. Retaining majority of possession and managed to keep the ball in attacking half. Parma were only limited to counter-attacking opportunities with blitzing pace on the wings. Despite majority of possession, it was the visitors who managed to get first few shots on goals with real goal scoring opportunities.
In attack, the midfielders linked through Jimenez to provide spaces for Ibrahomovic to run into the box to create scoring opportunities. Unphased by the Inter onslaught, Bucci kept Ibrahimovic and Crespo off the scoresheet. Around the thirty-minute mark, Esteban Cambiasso put Inter ahead with a late run into the box following a corner kick. The delayed run into the box, threw Parma defense off-guard and Cambiasso went inside the box completely unmarked for an easy finish.
The lead did not change the dynamics of the match as both teams were sticking with their respective game plan. Soon after conceding, just ten minutes later Luca Cigarini tied the match for Parma at 1-1, following similar routine as Cambiasso’s goal, however this time from open-play following a counter-attack opportunity. Cigarini’s late run inside the box, caught Inter defenses out of position and he struck the ball on the volley, leaving no chance for Julio Cesar.
As the second half resumed, Di Carlo made few substitutions earlier on. The move paid dividends instantly as substitute Andrea Gasbarroni scored a tremendous free-kick from a very tight angle, beating Julio Cesar on the near post to give visitors a surprising and crucial lead away at San Siro.
Having endured a torrid campaign thus far, Parma found themselves in unchartered territory as they immediately reverted to low-block and defended with all eleven men in front of goal to secure crucial, momentum shifting three points against Inter.
However, this strategy would prove costly since Parma had only managed clean sheets three times through first eighteen rounds. Inter staying ultra-offensive brought on attackers in Julio Cruz to provide more attacking options upfront along with Crespo and Ibrahimovic.
Bucci’s masterful goal-keeping kept Parma ahead by one goal margin until Fernando Cuoto handball clearance at eighty-eight minute mark reduced visitors to ten-men and awarded a penalty to Inter which the Serie A’s leading goal scorer, Ibrahimovic converted with ease.
With the game tied at 2-2 going into injury time, home side were looking for one more goal to complete one of the more dramatic come back wins at San Siro. Parma hanging on by a thread going into the last minute of injury time, conceded a corner-kick to Inter.
With the last play of the match, referee holding the whistle ready to call full-time, Ibrahimovic received the corner-kick, controlled it with his chest and smashed home the game winner on the volley past Bucci. The nightmare season for Parma continued at San Siro as they inexplicably imploded right at the death and conceded a brace to Ibrahimovic.
As the saying goes, stars shine brightest at night. Zlatan’s clutch, prolific performance right at the death kept the seven game winning streak alive for yet another day as Nerazzurri celebrated the victory with the fans singing Pazza Inter Amala at full volume. Inter won in the most Inter way possible.
