Inter Milan 1-2 Juventus
Juventus won a huge victory tonight with a hard fought win over Inter Milan in the Derby D’Italia at the Giuseppe Meazza.
Serie A, Inter Milan vs Juventus was a strong candidate for European match of the weekend and it certainly delivered, with both sides going for the win before Gonzalo Higuain scored a dramatic late winner to take Juventus top of Serie A .
Under new coach Antonio Conte Inter had made the perfect start to the season winning six from six, but this was a step too far against the class of Juve.
The Inter Milan vs Juventus news in the run up to the game was dominated by Romelu Lukaku’s fitness after he was rested from the Champions League in midweek suffering from muscle fatigue. But he was pronounced fit to play, much to the delight of the San Siro faithful. Lukaku’s former boss, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said he was happy to let the Belgian leave Old Trafford, but while the Red Devils struggle in the Premier League, their ex striker is thriving in Serie A.
But the night belonged to another former Premier League star as ex Chelsea forward Higuain stole the show.
Inter tasted defeat for the first time this season in a 2-1 Champions League reversal against Barcelona in midweek, so the international break has probably come at a good time for Conte.
Highlights of the game
Inter has had the tightest defence in Serie A, conceding just two goals in their first six games, but it took I Bianconeri just five minutes to breach it. Paul Dybala collected the ball on the edge of the penalty area and steadied himself before shooting low into the corner past the outstretched hand of Handanovic.
And the Old Lady almost made it two within minutes. He’s a global superstar the like of which we rarely see, but Cristiano Ronaldo never stops delivering. He cut in from the left and evaded three challenges before unleashing a fierce drive which crashed back off the crossbar.
In a breath-taking start to the game, while Juve fans were still wondering how they weren’t two goals up, Inter drew level. Matthijs de Ligt stuck his arm out to stop a cross and VAR confirmed a spot kick. Lautaro Martinez stepped up and slammed it low into the corner. 1-1.
I Nerazzurri were in the ascendancy and Lukaku sold De Ligt a great dummy on the half way line before releasing Martinez who managed to ride a challenge from Leonardo Bonucci before hitting a searing drive towards the corner, only to see Wojciech Szczesny get a vital hand to it.
Juventus finished the first half strongly and after good work from Blaise Matuidi and Dybala, Ronaldo forced a save from Handanovic. With half time fast approaching Ronaldo thought he’d fired Juve into the lead, but Dybala was ruled to be offside in the buildup.
I Bianconeri started the second half with intent and Federico Bernardeschi tested Handanovic with a snapshot. Then after a flowing move involving Matuidi and Alex Sandro, Ronaldo flashed a shot past the far post. And then when Dybala picked up a loose ball which had bounced off Handanovic, he blazed over when he should have hit the target.
Lukaku had a penalty shot when he fell under a shoulder charge from De Ligt but the referee was unmoved. And then Marcelo Brozovic came within inches of giving Inter the lead when his deflected shot clipped the post.
But the San Siro was stunned on 80 minutes when substitute Gonzalo Higuain fired Juve into the lead. Miralem Pjanic found Ronaldo with a pin point pass and he in turn slid the ball to Higuian and he slammed the ball past Handanovic and into the net.
Brozovic went close again on 86 minutes but Szczesny saved as Inter fought to the last but I Bianconeri held out for a massive win.
Key statistics
The pre-match Inter Milan vs Juventus betting odds here at SBOBET pitched the hosts as marginal favourites but there was little to choose between the two sides at the break, both having two shots on target.
But Juve were more clinical in the second half, finishing with six on target shots to Inter’s three.
The win makes it ten matches unbeaten for I Bianconeri while ending Inter’s 100 per cent record.
This was the 173rd meeting between Inter and Juve in the top flight, the most played fixture in the history of Serie A. And we won’t get tired of them!
What’s next?
Next up, Inter is away to Sassuolo in two weeks time and Conte will see that as a chance to get back to winning ways.
Juve is at home to Bologna after the international break. That will be a decent test against Sinisa Mihajlovic’s team which is sitting nicely in mid table after a 2-2 draw with Lazio today.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
