The fire challenge goes to theInter. And perhaps it is no coincidence that the main protagonist, at least looking at the scoresheet, is just that Mauro Icardi long awaited on the eve. The Argentine wins hands down the personal duel with Maxi Lopez and gives his team a very important success, for the standings and for morale.
Thanks to Parma draw the Nerazzurri are now in fifth place and can look forward to the next matchday with more confidence, which will see them play against the Emilians at the Tardini. In short, a heavy victory, albeit magnified by events. In fact, the 0-4 final is too severe a punishment for Sampdoria, who indeed deserved to end the first half at least in a draw.
Thanks to a super Handanovic but this didn't happen and in the second half Inter spread, also favored by numerical superiority. But let's go in order to talk about a match that gave countless twists and turns. It starts from the entrance to the field, when the cameras go looking the long-awaited cross between Icardi and Maxi Lopez. The Nerazzurri extends his hand to greet, the Doriano turns away. It's just the beginning of a fiery afternoon, in which, however, it is Maxi who has the worst. In fact, despite Marassi's hostility, Icardi played great and in the 13th minute gave him the lead with a well-made right-footed volley.
Then the exultation is in line with the character: hand to ear right under the southern steps, that of the hottest Sampdoria fans. The gesture costs him a yellow card that will make him miss the next match in Parma, as well as a cascade of insults from the stadium and opponents. “By cheering like this he showed what a person he is – growled Sakic, deputy to the suspended Mihajlovic. – You don't behave like this against the company that helped you grow”.
“There is no need to be moralizing – he retorted Mazzarri. – However he was wrong to react like this, I told him to avoid any kind of gesture but having a stadium against at 21 is tough… ”. In any case, Marito's goal ignites the match which could turn around in the 18th minute: Frog lands in the Gastaldello area, Valeri concedes the (sacrosanct) penalty. Maxi Lopez goes on the spot but his shot is intuited by Handanovic, who saves by thwarting the danger. The weather is really hot and three minutes later it becomes incandescent. Eder is booked for simulation, loses his head and puts his hands on Handanovic, thus earning himself a just and avoidable expulsion. Paradoxically, numerical inferiority is good for Sampdoria, who repeatedly come close to equalizing. Handanovic surpasses Maxi Lopez (32'), Sansone (34') and Soriano (45'), thus saving an Inter too soft to be true. In the second half, however, the script changed and in the 61st minute the Nerazzurri doubled through Samuel, peremptory in heading off and beating Da Costa. Sampdoria falls apart and two minutes later Icardi punishes them again, this time with an easy tap after Palacio's serve. And Trenza sealed the match in the 79th minute, scoring poker with a close shot. Thus Inter comes out of Marassi with a great success, even if more rounded than convincing. The road to the Europa League is still long, but the viaticum could be the right one. Especially if the team finally manages to give itself some continuity.
