VAR, Handanovic help Inter Milan collect 3 points at Chievo

Second half goals by Mauro Icardi and Ivan Perisic followed by key saves from Samir Handanovic helped Inter Milan to a 2-1 win at Chievo Sunday.

The result along with Lazio’s win at Sampdoria and Roma’s 3-0 win at SPAL means the Nerazzurri remain one point out of a Champions League position behind Lazio and Roma with three matches remaining in the season.

Photo courtesy of Inter.it

Inter had a sub-par first half, not registering a single shot on target in the half as the offense again sputtered for the first 45 minutes.

It was Chievo that nearly scored first in the 12^th minute when Manuel Pucciarelli lofted a shot that seemed to be near the net but rocked off the post. Emanuele Giaccherini forced Handanovic to dive wide to save a long-distance shot.

French youth international Yann Karamoh came the closest to finding the back of the net for Inter in the first half, but his delivery midway through the half sailed well wide of the target.

Fabrizio Cacciatore and Pucciarelli forced Handanovic into action again toward the end of the half with a pair of shots, but Hando was up to the task.

Inter came out firing in the second half, leaving little time from the restart to apply the offensive pressure missed in the first half.

In the 50^th minute, Marcelo Brozovic cracked a shot from beyond the area that missed, but Danilo D’Ambrosio redirected the attempt to a waiting Icardi who found the mark but was ruled offsides.

However, after a discussion with the VAR, head referee Paolo Valeri overturned the ruling and issued a goal for Icardi – his 26^th on the season.

Karamoh and Rafinha connected with crisp passing just inside the area to find Perisic who scooped up the ball and lofted it into the back of the net in the 61^st minute, doubling the Nerazzurri lead.

Inter continued to mount pressure with Perisic nearly finding a third goal with the help of Rafinha, but the effort was nudged away.

Chievo did make things interesting in the 90^th minute after Mariusz Stepinski drilled home a goal after Inter’s defense broke down which was capitalized on by Valter Birsa.

The Nerazzurri nearly squandered three points when, in the waning seconds of the game, Nenad Tomovic nearly connected on a cross past Handanovic, but the attempt went out of bounds as the final whistle blew.

Inter will now face Serie A leading Juventus in the Derby d’Italia at the San Siro on Saturday.

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