Last-gasp Vucinic goal sinks Inter
Reuters - Saturday 25 September 2010, 21:45
MILAN - Substitute Mirko Vucinic
stretched every sinew in his neck to bury an injury-time diving
header and propel AS Roma to a 1-0 win over Serie A leaders
Inter Milan on Saturday, sending the Stadio Olimpico delirious.
The Montenegro striker embarrassed defender Lucio by nodding
in Daniele De Rossi's cross to give struggling Roma a first
league win in their fifth game of the season and inflict Inter's
first Serie A defeat.
The goal came completely out of the blue in the game between
last season's champions Inter and runners-up Roma, with Rafael
Benitez's visitors having the better chances before being caught
cold in the fevered atmosphere of a rocking Olimpico.
Dejan Stankovic rattled the bar from distance for Inter in
the first half and stand-in Roma goalkeeper Bogdan Lobont saved
well from Samuel Eto'o in the second.
Indebted and up-for-sale Roma denied former Italy boss
Marcello Lippi had been lined up to replace Claudio Ranieri in
midweek and the side fought hard for their coach in a game which
started promisingly but became niggly with four players on each
side booked.
The hosts were better organised than in recent insipid
displays with De Rossi, Francesco Totti and John Arne Riise back
from injury and will now by buoyed for Tuesday's Champions
League game with CFR Cluj.
PRODDED HOME
Treble winners Inter, who host Werder Bremen on Wednesday,
still lead the table with 10 points as they seek a sixth
straight scudetto but can be overhauled by a number of clubs
after Sunday's main programme of matches.
Like Roma, Milan have not looked title material so far and
needed Zlatan Ibrahimovic to score again in a 1-0 home win over
Genoa which moved the Rossoneri up to fourth.
Milan, third last term and without a scudetto since 2004,
recorded only their second league win thanks to the Swede
netting his second goal in Serie A and fourth overall since he
joined on loan from Barcelona.
The former Inter frontman prodded home four minutes into the
second half following Andrea Pirlo's assist.
Genoa had dominated the first period, forcing Milan keeper
Christian Abbiati into one spectacular save at a nervous San
Siro.
"I'm tired but it needed real sacrifice to win," said
Ibrahimovic who pressed the opposition more than fellow forwards
Ronaldinho and Robinho.
"Nothing depends on just one player," the Swede told
reporters. "We are 11 on the pitch. If we do our work we will
come out on top."
Milan have failed to fully gel under new coach Massimiliano
Allegri but the narrow win after two successive league draws
will give the side confidence for Tuesday's Champions League
match at Ajax Amsterdam.
The weekend matches went ahead after a Serie A players'
strike was postponed following constructive talks between the
union and the league in a dispute over a collective contract.
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