Inter and Catania played out a 0-0 draw at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on Sunday evening.
Elefanti ‘keeper Alberto Frison performed admirably to frustrate the Nerazzurri, as Catania’s defence held strong in a game of few clear-cut chances.
The Nerazzurri saw the majority of the ball in the opening exchanges, piling on the pressure in front of their home support, and were quick to show their attacking intent, winning five corners in the first 20 minutes.
Neither team was really allowed to settle on the ball in what was a scrappy first half, with Catania taking a very physical approach to the game.
Rodrigo Palacio had he the first opportunity on goal in the opening few minutes, after the ball was threaded through to him by Ricky Alvarez. He appeared to be just offside, but put it over the crossbar in any case.
Alvarez then tried from distance with a left-footed strike after cutting in from the right wing, but missed the target with his ambitious effort.
The Argentine playmaker put in a cross with the same foot minutes later, with Palacio narrowly missing the ball after diving to meet it with his head.
A Biscione counter attack was then snuffed out by Rossazzurri defender Giuseppe Bellusci as he cleared Jonathan’s cross from the right flank. The Brazilian had been put through on the right by Palacio after the former Genoa striker had wriggled free of a crowd of red shirts on the edge of his own penalty area.
Jonathan then put in another dangerous cross from the right following some good work by Alvarez, but Palacio and Esteban Cambiasso were unable to meet the lofted ball at the far post.
Diego Milito attempted a low shot to Alberto Frison’s right from outside the box, but the Elefanti custodian got down well and put it out for another corner.
Catania had the chance to counter on 30 minutes and were three against three with Inter caught out at the back, but Gonzalo Bergessio wasted the opportunity by failing to meet Sebastian Leto’s pass on the right, stumbling and scuffing the ball out for a goal kick.
Milito then wasted a golden opportunity to put the home side ahead after 36 minutes having being put through by Palacio; Bellusci slid well to dispossess the veteran, and as the ball trickled away from goal, Milito picked it up once more and squared it to Palacio, who curled a shot over the bar.
Catania picked up their game before the break, making a late push for a goal, but were unable to trouble Samir Handanovic, who was left with very little to do.
The speed of the game was much faster at the beginning of the second period, as both sides looked for the opening goal, however the match was very fractured and there was no discernible flow, with tackles flying in from all over the pitch.
Palacio outpaced Nicola Legrottaglie on the counter early in the second period after Cambiasso had won possession in the middle of the park and put him through on the left, but his tame left-footed effort was straight at Frison and didn’t trouble the Rosazzurri ‘keeper.
Bergessio almost broke the deadlock minutes later. He showed excellent strength to stay on his feet in the box following a strong challenge from Juan Jesus, and shot while falling to the ground, grazing the outside of the right post. The chance came after Alvarez lost the ball cheaply on the the right wing near the half way line.
Palacio hit the crossbar after 50 minutes, but was adjudged to have been offside. A beautiful cross from outside the box on the left from Cambiasso with his left foot was met by his compatriot, who hit the bar with the header.
Fabian Rinaudo went close for the away team after his side had a good period of possession. His shot from outside the box went just over the right side of the crossbar as Handanovic dived to meet it.
Catania then had a clear shout for a penalty turned down by the referee after Alarez pulled down Mariano Izco in the penalty area, something which will surely be a bone of contention for the Elefanti after the game.
Palacio was passed the ball on the right side of the box by substitute Mateo Kovacic in the 75th minute, and Legrottaglie was given a yellow card for taking the Argentine down on the edge of the box. From the resulting free-kick, Alvarez hit the wall, with the ball going out for yet another corner.
Rolando went close with a header from an Alvarez cross with seven minutes to go, but Frison got down low to his left to palm the ball away, thwarting the Nerazzurri once again.
Palacio was the next to head over the bar after a good cross into the box from Saphir Taider on the right from a free-kick..
Palacio then brought down a great long ball from Kovacic, and he squared it into the box for Milito to run on to, but the striker wasn’t fast enough to reach it in time, with Frison smothering the ball at his feet.
Despite their persistence, Inter were unable to get the breakthrough they were searching for, and the score remained goalless until the final whistle.
