A single goal was enough for Fiorentina to claim a 1-0 win and the three points against Inter at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, and record their first victory against the Nerazzurri in Milan for 15 years.
After an evenly balanced first half it took a 55th minute strike from Mohamed Salah to deservedly win the contest for a hard working Fiorentina team and put a dent in Inter’s hopes of achieving European qualification for next season.
Both these sides returned to Serie A action after successful midweek outings in the Europa League and it was the visitors who had the best of the opening exchanges as they looked to control possession and put Inter under pressure early on.
The Nerazzurri appeared tense and edgy, being pinned back in their own half and they gave away several free kicks in dangerous positions which required saves from Samir Handanovic. They were not helped by an inability to properly hold onto the ball as they consistently lost possession due to sloppy play.
As the first half progressed, Roberto Mancini’s men did begin to shake off their lethargy and come into the match but the Viola always looked dangerous on the counter, especially when they got the ball quickly forward to Khouma Babacar.
Clear cut scoring chances were few and far between during the first half but Fredy Guarín did strike the post from range in the 34th minute with an effort that was reminiscent of the match winning goal he scored against Celtic on Thursday evening.
That missed opportunity galvanised Inter as they pushed forward in an effort to finish the first half on a high. However, their play never really clicked in the final third of the pitch and both sides went into the break on level terms.
The tempo of the game improved in the second half as both teams began to play with far more energy and intent but they still struggled to break each other down and create clear cut chances to opening the scoring.
However, the Viola did finally break the dead lock in the 55th minute when substitute Mohamed Salah pounced upon a spilled Handanovic save to score his third goal in five matches since joining on loan from Chelsea during the January transfer window.
After conceding the goal, Inter brought on Xherdan Shaqiri and pushed forward looking to equalise but they looked vulnerable when the visitors hit them on the counter attack. In particular the Nerazzuri really struggled to cope with the directness of Salah, the Egyptian causing their defence all sorts of problems when he linked up with Josip Ilicic.
Having looked isolated and uninterested throughout the match, Mauro Icardi missed a sitter for Inter in the 72nd minute after Shaqiri had burst down the right and cut the ball back to the Argentine.
Inter came close again a few moments later when Nemanja Vidic rose highest to connect with a Shaqiri free kick, but his powerful bullet header was directed straight into the body of Fiorentina keeper Neto.
After Fiorentina were reduced to nine men through injuries, Vincenzo Montella having already used his three substitutes, the home side continued to create chances as the clock wound down and Rodrigo Palacio’s selfishness wasted a golden opportunity for a Milanese leveller right at the end of the match
And that was the story of the afternoon for Inter, who looked languid and un-competitive throughout the contest as they struggled to get out of first gear.
