Serie A: Dida howler gifts Inter
victory over AC
MILAN, December 23 (Serie A) - AC Milan goalkeeper Dida gave
Internazionale an early Christmas present as his howler secured all
three points for the Nerazzurri in the `derby della madonnina'.
Milan took the lead after 17 minutes through Andrea Pirlo's
stunning free-kick before Julio Cruz levelled the scores in the
36th minute and Esteban Cambiasso was gifted his side's second on
63 minutes.
Inter are unstoppable in Serie A this season but the defending
champions showed reverence to their city rivals as they welcomed
the returning World Club Champions onto the pitch with a guard of
honour. They seemed to be showing the same deference in the game as
both sides started cautiously before the match sprang into life
just after the quarter-hour mark.
Milan were awarded a free-kick just outside the area which Pirlo,
who played two seasons at Inter without scoring, fired into the top
left corner giving Julio Cesar no chance. Inter should have
equalised just three minutes later as Cruz put a tantalising cross
into the area.
Dida got a hand to it but could only watch from the ground as it
fell to Luis Jimenez who saw his close-range effort crash back off
the crossbar from a tight angle. After 32 minutes, newly-crowned
World Player of the Year Kaka almost doubled the Rossoneri's
advantage as he dribbled half the length of the pitch into the area
but found himself crowded out before he could get a shot in.
But four minutes later Inter drew level. Cambiasso pulled the ball
back to Cruz on the edge of the area who squeezed the ball through
three Milan defenders and past the outstretched Dida into the
bottom left corner. Milan should have restored their advantage in
the 40th minute but Massimo Ambrosini blazed it over from 22 yards
leaving his team-mates - who had been screaming for the pass -
furious.
A minute before the break Javier Zanetti almost gave Inter a
deserved half-time but saw his shot fly agonisingly wide of the
left-hand post, although Dida probably had it covered. Milan came
out in the second half in much the same way they'd ended the first
- seemingly happy to sit back and soak up the pressure. But the
Rossoneri could have taken the lead five minutes after the break as
Paolo Maldini's cross found Alberto Gilardino, who flashed his
header narrowly wide of the left-hand post.
Inter should have gone ahead in the 57th minute as Cambiasso wasted
a glorious chance - putting his shot well wide of the left upright
from the edge of the area. But six minutes later Dida and Maldini
combined to gift the Nerazzurri the lead.
The veteran defender's poor clearance fell to Cambiasso at the edge
of the area who scuffed his shot towards the centre of the goal.
Dida should have saved comfortably but the former Brazil keeper
dived too far to his left and it somehow squeezed past him. The
goal seemed to deflate Milan and another Rossoneri goal seemed even
less likely.
It was Inter who were controlling the game and they could have
increased their lead in the 75th minute as Zlatan Ibrahimovic
powered towards goal before unleashing a shot from the edge of the
area which flew wide of the left upright.
Kaka came close to grabbing the equaliser in the 82nd minute as he
hit a stunning volley towards goal but Cesar got down very quickly
to parry. Two minutes from time Ambrosini missed a golden
opportunity to snatch a point for his side as he fired Serginho's
shot wide from close range.
