Catania 0-2 INTER MILAN

CATANIA - Serie A leaders Inter scored twice in the space of two second-half minutes to stun Catania at the Stadio Massimino.

Esteban Cambiasso notched his seventh of the season and David Suazo scored his fifth in black and blue to keep the Nerazzurri eight points clear of Roma.

Both teams produced chances in a tactical first half but neither managed a shot on target, Izco coming closest with a sweetly struck shot that flew just over.
Mancini made a forced substitution before the half hour, bringing on Pelé after Jimenez suffered a thigh strain.

The Inter coach made a second change early in the second half, introducing Suazo in place of Chivu and switching from 4-4-2- to 4-3-3.

The Sicilians pressurised their opponents as Inter adjusted, Vargas creating the most danger down the left.

The game turned in favour of Inter in the 55th minute. Maxwell sent in a looping cross from the left, Zanetti headed into the path of the unmarked Cambiasso, and the unmarked midfielder slotted home from close range.

Suazo added a quick second, latching on to Ibra's short pass from Julio Cesar's goal kick before rounding Polito and slotting into an open goal.

Julio Cruz went closest to a third in the 89th minute, sidefooting on to the outside of the post after a run down the right channel.

source: http://www.inter.it/

Inter Milan 1-0 Empoli

MILAN - Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored his nineteenth goal of the season as ten-man Inter held on for a 1-0 victory over Empoli.

The Swedish forward converted a penalty in the first half but Inter were reduced to ten men for the third time in four games when Patrick Vieira was dismissed for a second yellow.

Julio Cesar saved Saudati's penalty in the closing stages as the Nerazzurri held on for a gritty win that moves them eight points clear of Roma, 3-0 losers at Siena.

After a dull start the Week 21 fixture came alive in the 34th minute when Ibra sent Bassi the wrong way from the spot after Stankovic's shot was handballed by Vannucchi.
Six minutes later Vieira was yellow-carded for a challenge on Marianini, and within seconds the France captain was sent marching for protests.

Mancini made a tactical switch at half-time, bringing on Maxwell for Jimenez and moving Chivu into midfield.

The Nerazzurri coach was forced into a second change just after the interval, with Rivas on in place of the injured Stankovic.

Empoli dominated the opening stages of the second half as Inter adjusted, prompting Mancini to bring on counter-attack specialist Suazo for Cruz.

But the Tuscans only real threat on the Inter goal came when Pozzi forced a tipped save from Julio Cesar.

Inter relentlessly looked for a second and almost got their reward when Suazo narrowly missed after being played in by Cambiasso.

Julio Cesar pulled off more heroics seven minutes from time, saving Saudati's penalty after a foul by Materazzi.

Source: www.inter.it

Juventus 2-3 Inter Milan

TURIN - Inter edged Juventus 3-2 in a pulsating clash at the Stadio Olimpico to complete a 5-4 aggregate victory and set up a Coppa Italia semi-final meeting with Lazio.

Inter Primavera's 17-year-old striker Mario Balotelli gave the Nerazzurri a dream start to the third 'derby d'Italia' of the season, controlling Maniche's ball into the box and shrugging off a challenge from Birindelli before sidefooting past Belardi for his third goal in the competition.

Juventus produced a quick reply through their captain Alessandro Del Piero, his free kick taking a deflection off the Inter wall and sailing past a stranded Francesco Toldo.

Mancini's men went close to a second in the 20th minute when Belardi tipped on to the post Nuno Maniche's thunderous long-range shot.

But it was the Bianconeri who edged in front just after the half-hour mark. Toldo tipped Stendardo's header from Del Piero's free kick on to the upright, and Vincenzo Iaquinta pounced on the loose ball to head in from close range.

Inter kept their cool in an inferno-like atmosphere and levelled before the break when Julio Cruz sent Belardi the wrong way from the spot after Salihamidzic handled in the area.

There were no signs of a second-half slowdown as both teams looked to gain the upper hand.

Stankovic headed wide Balotelli's fast cross and Cruz had a low effort blocked by Belardi, before Toldo pulled off a miraculous save to thwart Pavel Nedved.

Inter were back in front in the 54th minute when 'Supermario' Balotelli collected Stankovic's ball into the area, swivelled and thrashed his shot into the top right corner.

Claudio Ranieri threw Trezeguet and Camoranesi into the fray to give his side fresh attacking options, but Inter continued to create and Cruz missed a great chance to kill off the game, firing just wide with just Belardi to beat after Stankovic's long ball upfield.

Toldo made another brilliant intervention in the closing stages, producing a one-handed save to keep out Trezeguet's snapshot.

Camoranesi made his team's dim chances of a comeback even dimmer when he was shown a straight red card for kicking Pelé in the centre circle.

Juventus 2-3 Inter (HT: 2-2, AGG. 4-5)

Taken from: www.inter.it