Nagatomo on target again as Inter win at Genoa
Reuters - Tuesday 13 December 2011, 22:13
Yuto Nagatomo scored for the
second game running to give Inter Milan a 1-0 victory at Genoa
on Tuesday, the fourth win in five Serie A games for Claudio
Ranieri's side.
The match, postponed in early November because of flooding
in Genoa, also marked the return of Inter forward Diego Forlan
who was injured after scoring in Uruguay's World Cup qualifier
in Paraguay in October.
Forlan looked lively after he came on for Diego Milito in
the 82nd minute, ending another frustrating, scoreless night for
the Argentine.
Inter, 15th before last weekend's matches, moved level on 20
points with sixth-placed Palermo after 14 games. Genoa, who have
fallen away after a promising start, are two points behind.
Genoa goalkeeper Sebastien Frey kept his team on level terms
in the first half, denying Giampaolo Pazzini early in the game
and then making a superb double save from Walter Samuel's header
and Milito's effort from the rebound.
Genoa thought they had gone ahead after half-time when
Andreas Granqvist headed in but his effort was controversially
disallowed for offside.
Inter broke through in the 67th minute when Ricky Alvarez's
inviting inswinging cross was headed home by the unmarked
Nagatomo.
The Japanese player also had a key role at the other end,
heading away Marco Rossi's goalbound shot late in the game.
Inter goalkeeper Julio Cesar then saw some rare action as he
turned Miguel Veloso's curling effort over the bar.