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Inter pick up first win in six
Goals from Alvaro Recoba and Daniele Adani helped beleaguered Inter Milan to a 2-0 win over rock-bottom Ancona - their first victory in six matches. It was a satisfying afternoon's work for the struggling giants, whose manager Alberto Zaccheroni decided to leave star striker Christian Vieri on the bench. Ancona would be overjoyed to have Inter's problems, stranded at the foot of Serie A with no wins and just seven points all season. This defeat cannot even be seen as another nail in the coffin of their survival hopes, which were buried long ago. As expected, Inter were on the front foot from the very start in an opening filled with incident. Ivan Cordoba headed just wide of the near post at a corner before Adriano pushed his header left of the Ancona goal after meeting Javier Zanetti's cross. Later in the half, Julio Cruz fed Recoba, but the mercurial Uruguayan missed from close-range. The same combination caused more problems for the home defence with six minutes remaining before the break. Cruz again finding Recoba in space in the box, only for Recoba to shoot wide again. Recoba did show a flash of his class four minutes before the interval, a trademark free-kick matched only by a flying save by Sergio Marcon. But plucky Ancona were not without chances of their own. Daniele Berretta volleyed wide from Vincenzo Sommese's cross after 13 minutes. Just a minute later Milan Rapaic's free-kick forced a smart save from Italian international Francesco Toldo in the Inter goal. Toldo was alert again mid-way through the first half, doing well to gather a chip from former Inter man Maurizio Ganz. Rapaic threatened once more with a powerful low shot that flew just wide of the right post before Roberto Goretti struck his shot past the left post from similarly long range. Recoba continued to pose a danger after the interval as Ancona started to run out of steam. His low diagonal shot from distance flying just wide of the post, but he was starting to find his range. Dejan Stankovic then tried to chip Sergio Marcon from 20 yards but the Ancona keeper was well-positioned and caught at the near post. But after 62 minutes, Inter finally got their noses in front and inevitably, it was through Recoba, who turned his man on the edge of the area and beat Marcon with an unstoppable shot to give the Nerazzurri the lead. Toldo was off his line quickly to block Ganz a minute later but by now it was all Inter. Argentinian Cruz was a real menace all afternoon and yet again laid on a chance for Recoba, only for the Uruguayan to fire wide of the left post. Inter doubled their lead with 20 minutes left after defender Adani headed home from Recoba's curled free-kick. And Recoba really should have made it three with six minutes left, but he shot straight at Marcon when put clean through on goal by Adriano. It was Inter's second win in 11 matches but it will take a few more to repair the Nerazzurri's fragile confidence. |
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