Sensational Sirigu keeps Inter at bay

Date: 8th April 2018 at 2:28pm
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A super performance from Salvatore Sirigu ensured Inter missed the chance to move third in Serie A as Torino snatched a 1-0 win at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino on Sunday afternoon.

Adam Ljajic was the Granata hero as his first half goal gave Torino their first home win over Inter since February 1994.

The result means Inter could also drop to fifth in the standings should Lazio get all three points against Udinese later in the day.

It was the home side who had the first chance as Daniele Baselli found acres of space, but launched the ball over the crossbar much to the ire of the Torino crowd.

From then on it was all Inter, with the heroics of Salvatore Sirigu saving the Granata on more than one occasion.

Antonio Candreva, still looking for his first goal of the season, fired straight at the Torino goalkeeper, before making an impossible save on a close range Mauro Icardi volley.

He wasn’t all perfect, as he spilled a cross into the path of Ivan Perisic, who tried a side-footed lob over the goalkeeper but didn’t get enough height on the ball.

A swift counter attack saw Borja Valero play a ball over the top for Icardi who then fed Candreva on the right, but his shot was beaten away by Sirigu.

Then from the resulting corner, Perisic found space at the back post, only to head onto the top of the crossbar.

Chances were coming thick and fast for the Nerazzurr, and Valero won a freekick on the edge of the penalty area, but again Candreva smashed wildly into the stands, before being denied by his nemesis Sirigu moments later.

Towards the end of the first half Torino came back into the match, and a long ball over the top found Andrea Belotti, who hit it first time, but was unable to get his shot on target.

Then just after the half hour, Torino swarmed forward through Belotti, who was screaming at Iago Falque to make a run beyond the defence, which he didn’t do. Nevertheless, Lorenzo De Silvestri latched into, what looked like, a poor pass and fed Ljajic at the far post for a tap in.

Even after going ahead, Belotti continued to berate Falque for his unwillingness to make the advancing run.

Brozovic tried his luck from 20 yards but it was no struggle for Sirigu, while at the other end De Silvestri headed just over.

A spectacular save from Samir Handanovic was needed to thwart De Silvesrti who acrobatically diverted Ljajic’s freekick from the left on goal.

It could and should have been two, as Cristian Ansaldi strode into the Inter half, before feeding Ljajic and his effort from a tight angle flashed across goal.

Sirigu was at it again, this time denying Milan Skriniar whose bullet of a header was punched out by the Torino man.

Inter kept up the pressure as the second half wore on and a high corner to the back post found the head of Joao Miranda who directed the ball back across goal only for it to be hooked away from the goalline by Nicolas N’Koulou.

The Nerazzurri went agonisingly close as Rafinha brought down a corner on the left side of the penalty box, and volleyed onto the post.

With 10 minutes left to play, Torino were camped in their own penalty area, as Inter threw everything at the Granata, but nothing was forthcoming.

 

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