Genoa – A handball in the penalty area by Bisseck in injury time decides the match at Marassi between Genoa and Inter. The referee points to the spot and Messias converts on Sommer’s rebound. It ends 2-2 with the great disappointment of the Italian champions and the satisfaction of the rossoblù who believed until the end. The first chance of the match fell to Thuram but his weak right-footed shot was intercepted by Gollini (with Mkhitaryan who was offside anyway). At the 14th minute Calhanoglu then tried from outside: his right-footed shot went just wide. In the 18th minute Vitinha appears all alone in front of Sommer but he hesitates, being anticipated by the Nerazzurri goalkeeper and effectively missing a golden opportunity. It is a clear alarm bell. Another two minutes pass and the Rossoblu score. Free kick from the three-quarter line taken by Martin, header by Bani, soft to tell the truth, Sommer appears late and lets the ball hit the crossbar. The ball returns to the center of the area, where Bisseck is still hibernating, like the Nerazzurri goalkeeper, and allows Vogliacco an easy tap in for 1-0. Inter’s reaction is immediate. After half an hour the score is 1-1: cross from the right by Barella and header by Thuram, good at anticipating Bani and scoring with a perfect rotation. The same French striker worries Gollini a minute later. In the 37th minute, a penalty was awarded to Inter (for contact between Badelj and Thuram), first awarded and then cancelled after a VAR review. In the 40th minute, Martin lost a bloody ball in Genoa’s penalty area, then Gollini outdid himself by coming out to stop Lauataro, and finally Badelj saved his teammates by deflecting Dimarco’s sure-fire shot into the corner.
Gilardino: “Happy for the team, the boys were great”
The second half then opened, in the 4th minute, with a sensational opportunity at the feet of Badelj, with the ball sent skyward from an excellent position. In the 7th minute, Dimarco scored, rightly disallowed for offside by Darmian. In the 14th minute, Gollini saved with his foot on a close but weak shot by Thuram. Then a flurry of substitutions changed the face of the match. In the 40th minute, Inter’s substitutions and Thuram (clearly the best on the pitch) made the difference. Taremi’s pass, Frattesi’s assist (both new entrants) then a soft touch from the French striker. It seemed Inter’s party was ready but a handball in the area by Bisseck ruined everything. Penalty for Genoa, awarded after VAR review. Messias stepped up to take the penalty: Sommer saved but Messias himself put the rebound into the net. It ended 2-2: Ligurians happy, Nerazzurri sent back.
“I’m happy for the team. We were talking about soul, that’s what we had to put in. The boys were great, reacting in an exceptional way in terms of attitude. We excelled in difficult situations”. This is what Genoa coach Alberto Gilardino said to Dazn after the draw against Inter. “We were playing against a team with a high level of quality, we had to give little and pay attention to details. The boys gave everything, they interpreted the match perfectly”, he added
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