Cagliari-Inter 1-3: Lautaro super, Milan championship postponed

Clinging to the scudetto with their nails, Inter keeps a micro hope alive by beating and choking Cagliari and remaining at -2 from Milan, who three hours earlier had mortgaged the title by bending Atalanta. Given the disadvantage in the direct match, Inzaghi’s only hope remains to beat Sampdoria (already saved) next Sunday – on the iconic 22 May … – and hope that Sassuolo will overtake the Rossoneri at the Mapei Stadium at the same time. At Unipol Domus it ends 3-1 thanks to goals from Darmian and Lykogiannis and a brace from Raging Bull Lautaro. Show of strength by the Nerazzurri, who took the field with the obligation to win and masters of the field despite the efforts of the Cup.

First half

–

Agostini changes form and goes to 4-3-1-2 excluding Lovato to insert Lykogiannis on the left, while Dalbert is the left midfielder, completing the median with Grassi and Marin, while Rog is the attacking midfielder who has to track Brozovic. In attack, confirmation for Joao Pedro and Pavoletti. Inzaghi re-proposes Bastoni from 1 ‘, confirms Darmian on the right and also Dzeko in front, alongside Lautaro. As in the Cup final, the bench for Dumfries and Correa. The match was immediately grumpy, but the Nerazzurri have the weapon of the placed and, after an open hand save by Handanovic on Lykogiannis ‘diagonal, they would unlock it at 11’ with Skriniar who from a free-kick from Calhanoglu comes out on the second, takes the post but the puts in on the riveted. Recalled by the Var, however, Doveri cancels because after hitting the ball with the stomach, the Slovak fixes it with his hand. At 22 ‘Lautaro tries, but the header from the corner comes out just a little. On the third attempt, however, Inter pass with the classic play from outside to outside. In fact, Perisic finds the bottom and hits a great cross on which Darmian jumps a meter more than Lykogiannis and does not make a mistake with his head. Cagliari struggles to react, fails to involve the strikers and continues to suffer on the outside, with Darmian and then Bastoni still dangerous. Inzaghi’s team is good at lowering the pace and turning the ball, looking for the right opening. As happens at 36 ‘, with Darmian’s brilliant punch for Lautaro, whose left is blocked by Ceppitelli. Cragno, on the other hand, denies Toro the 20th goal in the league (a nice ball from Barella) in the 39th minute. That of the unleashed Argentine becomes a curse at the end of the time, when he first hits the inside post with his left and then with the close right calls Cragno to the half miracle. In short, the 1-0 at the interval goes very close to the guests, who also close with 65% of possession and certainly do not have the strong point of the house in managing the advantage.

Second half

–

It starts again without substitutions, but Agostini sends to warm up the whole bench because Inter starts again beating the dance, with the usual turn of the ball and then placing the lethal bite. At 51 ‘in fact, Barella throws long for Lautaro, very good at shooting on the edge of the offside, resisting the contrast of Altare and chilling Cragno between the legs with the right. Unipol Domus silenced, but two minutes later Lykogiannis from outside throws a big left which, thanks to Skriniar’s deviation, overtakes Handanovic and ends up in the corner. Everything reopens, with Nandez and the ex Keita taking over Rog and Pavoletti. Inzaghi responds with Dumfries and Gagliardini for the yellow card Darmian and Barella, the ex who comes out with lots of boos but also applause. Arranged now with the 4-4-2 – Nandez and Dalbert outside -, the hosts increase the pressure, also thanks to the mounting fatigue of the opponents after the 120 ‘of the Cup on Wednesday. The most tried seems to be Dzeko, who on the one hand does the usual dirty work by lowering himself to turn the maneuver but on the other never cuts in front. In fact, at 70 ‘Inzaghi recalls Edin for Correa. Same fate for Bastoni with D’Ambrosio (Skriniar on the left). The end is a wish but I can’t, because Cagliari can’t raise the center of gravity and Inter can’t find a few openings to close it. The only attacking action of the Sardinians arrives in the 80th minute, with De Vrij on the sidelines after a hard contrast with Keita, but the former in the area does not find the moment. Carboni and Baselli (outside Altare and Marin) are Agostini’s latest cartridges. At 84 ‘, however, the Inter restart was deadly: Brozovic’s great throw, Gagliardini controls the ball in the area and serves Lautaro on the left, very cold in overcoming Cragno with a left-handed touch. Dumfries in the recovery hits the third pole of the evening. Inter don’t give up.