Serie A Week 17 Review: Five Star Performance By Inter
Serie A returned this weekend after the Christmas break and some of the teams started the year with a bang and none more so than Inter Milan who demolished Parma at the San Siro 5-0. Lazio were still on their Christmas holidays as they were humbled away at Siena 4-0. Udinese’s brilliant form continued as they beat Cesena 4-1 which included a wonderful strike by Dusan Basta. Roma won their third game in a ro thanks to a brace of penalties by Francesco Totti.
Saturday 7th January
Serie A returned with two games on Saturday and nine goals were scored in the two games. Siena hammered Lazio in the early evening kick off 4-0. Mattia Destro gave Siena the lead before Emanuele Calaio converted from the penalty spot. Just before the half time break it was 3-0 and it was another penalty which Albano Bizzarri was sent off. Emanuele Calaio dispatched the penalty to add to Lazio woes. A fourth goal was added and it was Mattia Destro scored his second of the game and give Siena a brilliant win.
The evening game saw a fantastic performance by Inter Milan as the crashed Parma 5-0, Diego Milito started the ball running as a he converted from a Ricky Alvarez cross. Thiago Motta added a second just five minutes later. Before half time Diego Milito added his second and Inter‘s third. Two goals were added in the second half from Giampaolo Pazzini and a brilliant strike from Davide Faraoni which was his first ever goal for the club.
Sunday 8th January
The lunch time kick-off saw Udinese record an impressive 4-1 home win over Cesena. The Friuli outfit started brightly as Antonio Di Natale took just a minute to opening the scoring when Antonio Floro Flores’s cross found his captain for the easiest of tap-ons. Cesena shocked the home side as Eder scored his first goal for the club, firing home with a close range volley. A poor goalkeeping mistake by Francesco Antonioli then gave Udinese the lead after Kwadwo Asamoah shot squirmed under the veteran keeper. Cesena was reduced to ten men as Maurizio Lauro was sent off for a second yellow. Dusan Basta then added to the lead with a fantastic 25 yard dipping effort. Then with minutes remaining Antonio Di Natale added a fourth with a wonderful fired 20 yard effort.
Cagliari finally scored some goals at home notching up three against struggling Genoa side. Joaquin Larrivey gave the home side the lead from the penalty spot. Just ten minutes after the break the impressive Victor Ibarbo doubled the lead for Cagliari. It got worse for Genoa as Emiliano Moretti was sent off before Andreas Granqvist own goal compelled Genoa to another away defeat.
Bologna beat Catania thanks to two second half goals from Nicolo Cherubin and Marco Di Vaio to give Bologna a much needed victory. Marco Biagianti was sent off for the away side after picking up two yellow cards.
Fiorentina picked up a very impressive away win in a new 3-5-2 formation away at Novara. The Viola won 3-0 and there was some cracking goals scored. Stevan Jovetic opened the scoring from the penalty spot after he was brought down in the area. Ricardo Montolivo then scored a wonderful curled lob to double the lead. The lead was added to in the second half as Stevan Jovetic volleyed home from a cross in from the right hand side.
Roma picked up their third straight win as they were very impressive against a dogged Chievo side. Two penalties in either half from Francesco Totti gave Roma the three points. Both Daniele De Rossi and Francesco Totti were given standing ovations as they were subbed off.
AC Milan picked up a deserved away win against a very good Atalanta side. A first half penalty from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and then a late goal from Kevin Prince-Boateng added gloss to the victory.
Juventus still remain the unbeaten side in Serie A this season as the Old Lady picked up a 1-0 away win at Lecce thanks to a first half header from Alessandro Matri.
The evening game and the last one of the weekend saw Palermo at home to Napoli. The visitors got a much needed win after a very much inconsistent start to the season. Goran Pandev gave Napoli the lead before the half time break. Former Palermo striker Edinson Cavani curled in a brilliant effort and showed some class by not celebrating before Marek Hamsik added a third on the hour. Palermo grabbed a late goal through Fabrizio Miccoli but it was too little too late.
A good start to 2012 for much of the top six, only Lazio started the year in the top six without a victory. Inter Milan have now come from no-where and Claudio Ranieri has finally stamped his authority on the squad and Inter Milan are finally showing the promise and could muster a title push.
