Julio Cruz scored for the fourth match in a row and David Suazo scored his fourth in black and blue to give Inter their fifth consecutive league win (eighth in all competitions). Sunday’s victory over Cagliari at the Sant’Elia moves the defending Serie A champions seven points clear of second-placed Roma who were held at Torino.
Mancini started with Suazo, Crespo and Cruz in attack for the second game running, opting for a three-man midfield of Zanetti, Chivu and Cambiasso.
Maicon and Samuel were recalled in defence after being rested in the midweek Champions League win at PSV Eindhoven.
Cagliari made a strong start and produced the first chance of the game on 7 minutes, Conti narrowly missing the target with a venomous angled shot.
Suazo, playing against his ex-team for the first time since the summer switch to Milan, drilled wide in the 9th minute.
The Rossoblu had a second chance in the 14th, Julio Cesar saving Acquafresca’s close-range effort from Fini’s cross.
In a first half of misses, Crespo fired wide after a storming run by Maicon, and Chivu smacked the bar with a superb long-range shot.
The Nerazzurri gradually imposed their game after the restart, and should have taken the lead ten minutes in when Suazo bundled wide after Marruocco failed to hold Chivu’s strike from distance.
Inter’s tactical superiority paid dividends two minutes later when Cruz received from Suazo, drifted across the face of the area and beat Marruocco with a low shot into the bottom left corner.
Mancini made an immediate switch after the goal, bringing on Cesar for Crespo, and changing from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2.
Suazo doubled the lead with a poacher’s effort eleven minutes from time, prodding home from two yards out after Marruocco failed to hold Cordoba’s header.
Hungry for a third, Inter continued to attack Sonetti’s side. The best chance fell to Cesar who tested Marruocco with a low shot from 20 yards after a solo run down the middle.
In added time Mancini brought off Suazo and handed Primavera youngster Mario Balotelli his first-team debut.
Cagliari 0-2 Inter (HT: 0-0)
Scorer: Cruz 57, Suazo 79.
Cagliari: 16 Marruocco; 14 Pisano (19 Larrievy 70), 6 Lopez, 20 Bianco, 31 Agostini; 29 Ferri, 5 Conti, 18 Parola, 23 Fini (4 Budel 76); 9 Acquafresca, 32 Matri (26 Mancosu 86).
Subs not used: 12 Koprivec, 3 Del Grosso, 21 Canini, 22 Bizzera.
Coach: Nedo Sonetti.
Inter: 12 Julio Cesar; 13 Maicon, 2 Cordoba, 25 Samuel, 6 Maxwell (30 Pelé 81); 4 Zanetti, 19 Cambiasso, 26 Chivu; 9 Cruz, 18 Crespo (31 Cesar 58), 29 Suazo (45 Balotelli 90+1).
Subs not used: 22 Orlandoni, 16 Burdisso, 21 Solari, 23 Materazzi.
Coach: Roberto Mancini.
Referee: De Marco (Chiavari).
Booked: Parola 28, Conti 75.
source : inter.it
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