Bari vs Inter Milan - Match report 3/2/11

BARI 0-3 INTER MILAN

Kharja ‘70

Pazzini ‘94

Sneijder ‘96


Inter managed to steal three points from an unlucky Bari side with a 3-0 win at the Stadio San Nicola.

New boy Houssine Kharja opened the scoring in the 63rd minute before fellow January signing Gaimpaolo Pazzini and Wesley Sneijder sealed the win in injury time.

Bari will count themselves unfortunate though after dominating possession and enjoying most of the good play in the first half in particular.

In a first half of few chances it was the home side who came closest after Sergio Almiron saw his long range freekick palmed away by Julio Cesar when it seemed destined for the top corner.

It was Almiron, along with Massimo Donati, who were dominating the midfield with Inter’s Kharja and Motta struggling to get a foothold on the game and Javier Zanetti spending most of the game covering the marauding Maicon.

Maicon was the biggest threat for Inter throughout the first half and it was he who came closest for the Nerazzuri when he saw his toe poke roll inches wide after another mazy run through the Bari backline.

Inter started to come into the game more as the half went on but struggled to break down an organised Bari side as the teams went into halftime with the score 0-0.

Bari continued in the same vain in the second half, enjoying the majority of possession without really testing the Inter back line of Maicon, Materazzi, Ranocchia and Christian Chivu.

The big talking point of the game involved Chivu who appeared to punch Bari defender Marco Rossi. The officials failed to send the Romanian off but he is sure to receive a ban and a warning in the near future.

You could sense the frustration among the home team and the fans and it wasn’t long before Leonardo’s side made them pay for their lack of cutting edge as the introduction of Sneijder changed the game.

Ten minutes after the Dutchman was brought on Inter took the lead when Eto’o drew in two defenders before slipping the ball to Kharja who struck a low left-footed drive past the helpless Gillett.

Giampiero Ventura’s side tried to get back into the game but were denied by an inspired Julio Cesar before Pazzini and Sneijder scored in injury time to secure the win for the Champions.

The result means Bari are 5 points behind Brescia at the bottom of the Serie A table whilst Inter’s recent revival sees them climb into third place.