Posts, nervousness, mistakes: Inter's sad end at the World Cup
The enthusiasm fueled by the victory over River Plate, in the last match of the group, was immediately extinguished by the defeat against Fluminense in the round of 16. Inter's Club World Cup ended at the start of the knockout phase , faced with an early goal by Cano and one in injury time by Hercules. In Charlotte, a good second half of the second half was not enough for the Nerazzurri, thanks to the addition of Sebastiano Esposito. The fear was that lightning would strike the sky of North Carolina, but in the end, all that was seen were the thunderbolts of Fluminense.
Chivu starts Thuram for the first time in this World Cup: the Frenchman is definitely out of sorts. His day is based on the alternation of the Esposito brothers: he plays in place of the injured Pio, who was decisive against River Plate, and will be replaced in the second half by Sebastiano who quickly becomes the best of the Nerazzurri. Acerbi on the bench, in his place De Vrij, responsible for Inter's nightmare start.
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The Dutchman, with a bad clearance, starts the action of Fluminense's lead. The 37-year-old German Cano then takes advantage of the simultaneous carelessness of Darmian and Sommer. The Nerazzurri react only with the initiatives of Barella and Dimarco. Lautaro does not get a play right in the entire first half. It is the Brazilians who come closest to doubling the lead with Martinelli and Samuel Xavier, in addition to the goal by Ignacio disallowed. The almost 41-year-old Thiago Silva towers. The heat takes away lucidity, but does not extinguish the nervousness. Renato Portaluppi, who 30 years ago as a Fluminense striker scored the famous "gol de barriga" (belly) in the final of the Carioca championship against Flamengo at the Maracana, clears the ball away to delay the throw-in by Mkhitaryan who reacts by starting a brawl.
Chivu changes in the second half by modifying the formation with Carboni in place of Mkhitaryan. The most fruitful addition is that of Sebastiano Esposito, very lively. Lautaro is thus brought closer to the goal and his teammate offers him a series of goal opportunities that the Argentine does not exploit (unlucky with an inside post) . But only the doubling of Hercules arrives and the mockery of the crossbar hit by Dimarco in recovery. The only good news for Inter is the conclusion of the purchase of Bonny from Parma to reinforce an attack where the best is always one of the Esposito brothers.
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