Inter 3-0 Sampdoria: Correa-inspired win not enough as Nerazzurri's Scudetto reign comes to an end

By Sports Desk May 22, 2022

Inter's reign as Serie A champions came to an end on Sunday despite rounding off their campaign with a resounding 3-0 victory over Sampdoria at San Siro.

The Nerazzurri needed to beat Sampdoria on the final day and hope Milan lost against Sassuolo if they were to pip their fierce rivals to top spot.

Inter completed their half of the bargain thanks to a couple of goals for Joaquin Correa after Ivan Perisic had opened the scoring early in the second half.

But it did not matter as Milan were three goals up at half-time against Sassuolo and protected that advantage for a 3-0 win, meaning they – and not Inter – were crowned champions of Italy.

 

At least three goals had been scored in the previous six league meetings between Inter and Sampdoria, but neither side could find a way through in a relatively low-key first half.

Lautaro Martinez grazed the outside of the post with a header and was thwarted by Emil Audero from the best of Inter's opportunities.

The Inter striker was denied again by Audero after the restart, although Simone Inzaghi's side soon found their groove.

In what could be his final game for the club ahead of his contract expiring next month, Perisic picked out the far corner four minutes into the second half to give his side lift-off.

Correa swept in a first-time finish to double Inter's lead, and the Argentina international added another on the turn two minutes later to completely kill off the contest.

Perisic was carried off on a stretcher after sustaining an injury in the build-up to that third goal, which proved to be the last of the meaningful action on the day Inter's spell as top dogs in Italy officially came to an end.

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    Marcus Thuram plundered a hat-trick to propel Inter to a 3-2 victory over 10-man Torino in Saturday's Serie A clash.

    The victory places Inter second in the league standings with 14 points, two behind leaders Napoli.

    Visiting defender Guillermo Maripan was given a straight red card after 20 minutes for a late challenge on Thuram.

    Inter swiftly made their numerical advantage count, with Thuram heading in from close range five minutes after the sending-off.

    Thuram doubled Inter's lead in the 35th minute with another header from close range. However, Torino pulled one back a minute later, with Duvan Zapata taking advantage of a defensive error to finish from inside the box.

    Thuram completed his hat-trick on the hour mark, being in the right place to tap in a rebound after Torino goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic had saved a header.

    Torino forward Nikola Vlasic converted a penalty four minutes from time after Hakan Calhanoglu had tripped Adam Masina in the area to tee up a grandstand finish.

    However, the visitors were unable to mount a final push to find an equaliser.

    Data Debrief: Three-goal Thuram does Torino damage

    Thuram scored his second hat-trick while playing in the top five European Leagues (in all competitions), after his previous one for Borussia Monchengladbach against Oberachern in the German DFB-Pokal in 2022.

    In doing so, he became only the third Inter player to score a hat-trick against Torino in Serie A, after Roberto Boninsegna in March 1974 and Edwin Ronald Firmani in December 1958.

  • Jones, Molino in, Levi Garcia excused as King names Soca Warriors squad for crucial CNL games against Cuba Jones, Molino in, Levi Garcia excused as King names Soca Warriors squad for crucial CNL games against Cuba

    Trinidad and Tobago’s interim Head coach Derek King will be without striker Levi Garcia but remains optimistic that his team will improve significantly in the goal scoring department in their crucial Concacaf Nations League fixtures against Cuba on October 10 and 14.

    King, who was sweating over the fitness of Garcia, inevitably had to look past the AEK Athens striker. Garcia, who just returned from injury, was excused from international duty as requested by his club.

    Still, King will have to make do with those available to him as the Soca Warriors face a must-win situation in both games to not only keep their quarterfinal ambitions alive but, more importantly, avoid relegation from League A.

    They are currently at the foot of Group B with a point as Jamaica (four points) and Nicaragua (four points) occupy the top two positions. Honduras (three points), Cuba (two points), and French Guiana (one point) complete the standings.

    “Levi has an injury at this point. We need six points, and so we are trying to get our best players on the park on the day,” King declared.

    King’s final squad, which was named on Saturday, sees the return of former captain Kevin Molino and Joevin Jones, who both last represented the Twin Island Republic at the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup. Toronto FC’s forward Tyrese Spicer has also been included in the squad, which departs for Cuba on Sunday.

    After the October 10 fixture, both teams will fly back to Trinidad and Tobago for their final group fixture on October 14 to determine their fates in League A.

    King expects Cuba to prove a tough opponent in both games.

    “Cuba played slightly different in two matches. Away from home against Jamaica, they play with a back five. At home, they play with a back four. I think, they will be coming as well for three points, so we have to defend well, and, once we create our chances, we have to score our chances,” the caretaker coach shared.

    King also explained the reason behind bringing former Inter Miami midfielder Jones, 33, and previously retired Molino, 34, into camp.

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    “I had a conversation with Molino; he’s been working hard, and so far he’s looking good. We’ll see how the final squad goes,” King said ahead of the final squad announcement.

    “He [Jones] was not a hundred percent, but I think he did well. He knows he has to work on his fitness, and I think Joevin could bring a level of experience along with the younger guys that we have as well,” the tactician noted.

    T&T Squad: Denzil Smith, Christopher Biggette, Adrian Foncette, Justin Garcia, Sheldon Bateau, Aubrey David, Alvin Jones, Tristan Hodge, Shannon Gomez, Ross Russell Jr, Noah Powder, Kevin Molino, Dantaye Gilbert, John Paul Rochford, Isiah Lee, Andre Ramparsard, Joevin Jones, Michel Poon Angeron, Kevon Woodley, Tyrese Spicer, Real Gil, Nathaniel James, Ryan Telfer

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    Paulo Fonseca has no intention of changing a winning side, believing continuity is the key for Milan as they prepare to face Fiorentina.

    Milan went without a win in their first three Serie A matches under Fonseca, but look to have found their groove in the league after winning each of the last three. 

    The Portuguese head coach is aiming to rack up four consecutive Serie A wins for just the second time in his career (after July-August 2020 with Roma), but Milan do go into this match on the back of a 1-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.

    Fonseca looks set to stick with the side which won the derby with Inter and also beat Lecce last time out, meaning a return to the starting lineup for Spanish striker Alvaro Morata, who started on the bench against the Bundesliga champions. 

    "Continuity is important right now," Fonseca told reporters.

    "If the squad is in good form, it's important to keep as many players as possible in the 11 starters. That's not because I don't have faith in the others, but right now, I believe it is important to have a base.

    "Morata is fine, he will play [on Sunday]."

    Fonseca's stance means Strahinja Pavlovic will likely remain on the bench, despite the Serbian defender impressing when he played the full 90 minutes in the three league games prior to the derby.

    "It is important to have stability mainly in defence," Fonseca added. "[Matteo] Gabbia and [Fikayo] Tomori have played some great games and I think Pavlovic must continue to work because he will have opportunities," Fonseca said.

    "The two central players, Gabbia and Tomori, are doing well, and I think it's important to continue like this."

    Milan were outplayed in the first half against Leverkusen on Tuesday, having only one shot compared to the hosts' 10, with six of those shots on target, though they did improve after conceding early in the second half.

    The Rossoneri have now won just one of their last seven away Champions League games, also drawing three and losing three, so despite their positive league run, Fonseca is still looking for big improvements in his squad.

    "Leverkusen are one of the strongest teams in Europe. We are in a period of growth," he said.

    "Winning against Inter and Lecce doesn't mean we have arrived, we need to grow a lot. We are improving, but we have a lot more to improve. The real Milan is not yet close. We have to do more.

    "We can have the same attitude as in the second half in Germany, but maybe the way of playing will be different because Fiorentina mark man to man, so our style will be different."

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