And in the end Inter can breathe a sigh of relief. Because, to avoid misunderstandings, let's say it right away: yesterday's point is earned. The scoring chances say it (clearly in favor of Toro), but above all the match says it, for large stretches even dominated by Ventura's men. For Inter, the alarm siren (talking about the bell no longer makes sense) rang out loud and clear: playing like this, the Champions League area will remain a chimera.
“We got off to a good start trying to attack Turin and preventing them from playing the way they wanted – Stramaccioni's analysis. – We took the lead, then Torino came out and did better than us. We have to make a big mea culpa because we can't be reassembled like this at home".
As said by the coach, the match immediately went downhill. After just 5 minutes Chivu unlocked it with a splendid free-kick that froze Gillet and all the grenade fans. But the guys from Ventura know the score by heart, and so, after a little settling in, they started playing. The 4-2-4 works wonders, also because interpreters have been practicing it for years now. From Barreto to Meggiorini (preferred to Bianchi) up to Cerci, everyone has already worked with the technician, and the perfectly executed movements prove it.
To tell the truth, however, the draw came thanks to a colossal ingenuity by Guarin, who lost the ball in front of his area, allowing the former Novara striker to chill the immobile Handanovic. Inter's reaction? Virtually nothing. The nerazzurri suffer from the lack of quality in the middle of the pitch, a concept unknown by the various Mudingayi, Gargano and Pereira. The lungs are there (although less than before), the feet are not. And so if Cassano doesn't think about it, it's pain. But the Bariese, who has just returned after a stop, is still not feeling well; Guarin and Palacio remain isolated in front, watching the beautiful football of Turin. Who at the beginning of the second half even went ahead: Cerci burned Pereira and put in the middle for Meggiorini who, alone, scored the overtaking goal. San Siro began to grumble and Strama fished the right rabbit out of the top hat.
Cambiasso gave the team a jolt and was repaid with a goal to make it 2-2, the result of an easy tap after a solo by captain Zanetti. But those who expected an Nerazzurri forcing were disappointed: in the final it was Toro who came close to winning, first with Bianchi, whose shot was deflected off the post by Handanovic, then with Meggiorini, stopped by the goalkeeper a few seconds from the end. Inter? All in one slow-motion episode. Frog ended up on the ground in the penalty area, the referee let Massa go. Doubts remain, but Stramaccioni points the finger at his team's performance: “In my opinion we missed an opportunity but we have to congratulate Torino who played an excellent match. We have all made mistakes, if Inter want to fight for certain objectives they must win these games”.
Now the ball passes to the market, from which the coach expects the right reinforcement, who can give the team a turning point. Coutinho's sale to Liverpool for 13 million could be closed today, after which the assault on Paulinho will begin. Stramaccioni wait, cross your fingers and hope.
