Call it a weak offensive attack … or in this case, no offensive attack — but an own goal was the only thing standing between SPAL and three points in a 1-1 draw with Inter Milan Sunday.
The Nerazzurri lacked any offensive creativity, actually being outshot by SPAL, 12-10.
Fischio finale a Ferrara dove @spalferrara e @Inter terminano il match con un pareggio! #SpalInter #SerieATIM pic.twitter.com/viSrMjAIlS
— Serie A TIM (@SerieA_TIM) January 28, 2018
It marked the fourth consecutive draw for Inter, who opened the season without conceding a loss in their first 14 matches.
“We struggled to find space, we moved the ball too slowly even if was possible to make the most of our qualities with better decision making,” said Inter coach Luciano Spalletti, to the team’s website following the match. “In the end, we didn’t live up to the situation and take control of the match that it had become. We need to work better and find more solutions without becoming timid.”
Inter remains in fourth place in Serie A — two points behind Lazio, who will face AC Milan later Sunday and still three points ahead of Roma who play Sampdoria later today as well.
The first half saw little offense from either side as Inter found few attempts, the first coming in the 14th minute when Antonio Candreva took a pass from Matias Vecino but could not get the ball into the net. Mauro Icardi had an attempt near halftime but his shot, like many others over the last several games, failed to come close to target.
Just after halftime, the deadlock was broken, but only because of cross from Joao Cancelo that ricocheted off the foot of SPAL’s Francisco Vicari and into the back of the net for an own-goal.
Ouverture du score pour l'Inter ! Autogol de #Vicari !#SPALInter 0️⃣-1️⃣ pic.twitter.com/ULsOtCRJXy
— Calciomio (@calciomio) January 28, 2018
Ten minutes later, Vecino nearly doubled the lead off a feed from Ivan Perisic, but the delivery went wide of goal.
Both teams went back and forth until the 90th minute.
Alberto Paloschi drew SPAL level when he headed home a ball from Mirco Antenucci and past Samir Handanovic to hold the Nerazzurri to just a point on the road.
“There’s a sense of disappointment with how the draw came about, we should have closed the game off at 1-0,” Vecino told Inter TV following the game. “This is a difficult moment for us and we need to do something extra. We could have managed the game better and we’re sorry about this.”
Spalletti was a little harsher on his criticism.
“We broke the deadlock, had chances to double the lead but then we weren’t fluid in our decision making. Once it became a more physical game, we weren’t at their level,” Spalletti said. “Something is missing when you get these results but there’s not a concrete answer of what that is. At some times we do everything well, in others we get everything wrong. We need to get our hands dirty and show who we really are.
“This situation isn’t helping us because it’s forcing us to play with more tension and it becomes harder to make decisions but we do need more strength and self-confidence. We need a strong reaction.”
Inter will switch gears and prepare for Crotone next Saturday.
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