Speechless

By: Joe | March 3rd, 2008

Three different times yesterday I thought Napoli would get crushed by the machine that is Inter Milan. #1 When I saw the starting lineup. #2 When we scored first (figured we just angered the calcio Gods). #3 When we missed the penalty. I need to check my faith.

Yesterday’s victory against Inter is a time-capsule moment. Napoli fans will lock this one away and talk about that magical Spring night for the next, oh 20 years, every time this fixture comes back on the calendar. Inter had not lost a Serie A match since last April (31 consecutive matches) and have systematically destroyed any club not named Liverpool, AS Roma or Fenerbache for the better part of two years. The Nerazzurri have simply found a way to take on all comers and have won or drawn in every conceivable manner. Not today, my Argentine friends. Not today.

I know we’re all very happy but can we keep our pants on? Please? Both sides came into the match at less than their best. Napoli have been generally atrocious since December going 3-3-6 and getting outscored 25-15 in the process. Humiliating losses against Atalanta, Empoli, Milan, both Genova sides and a miserable ouster in the Coppa Italia against Lazio were all weighing down the promise of a bright season. The injury bug hit all at once, doesn’t it always?, and we can’t seem to stop getting players sent off. Inter have their own concerns as they are in danger of losing out again in the Champions League Round of 16 against Liverpool. If they could only find a keeper, the injury list for the Nerazzurri could give qualify for a Champions League spot all on their own (Cordoba, Samuel, Maxwell, Dacourt, Cambiasso, Cesar, Ibrahimiovic & Cruz) . Heavy is the head that wears the crown, I guess. I wish I had the same concerns.

Despite all the Moratti hand-wringing, Inter must have felt the scudetto was all theirs. Inter had a nine-point lead after getting a late draw against their only Serie A competitors in AS Roma. But it took only 3 minutes at the San Paolo to throw everything into chaos. Ezequiel Lavezzi, recovering from the flu that kept him out of the Genoa match on Wednesday, broke an offsides trap on a long ball from Walter Gargano who skillfully stole the ball in on his own side of the center circle. Inter keeper Julio Cesar rushed off his line and past the 18-yard box to hoof the ball clear but only succeeded in getting the ball to Marcelo Zalayeta. Seeing a wide open net, El Panteron lobbed a ball which seemed to float forever in the night. The flight of the ball should have caused it to sail over the net but somehow it landed in the back of the net and the city erupted in a chorus of screams.

While the goal itself was fluky, Napoli simply outplayed Inter Milan all night long. Marco Materazzi was getting killed by Lavezzi whose pace and skill seemed to have returned after a few sub-par performances. Napoli opened up Inter’s defense a half dozen times
before Inter had their first attempt on goal in the 19th minute. When Zalayeta nutmegged Cristian Chiuvu in the 14th causing Chiuvu to drag him down and get a yellow, you knew the Azzurri were feeling it. Backup keeper Matteo Gianello made a great kick save off a David Suazo bullet who got around Captain Paolo Cannavaro. It would mark one of the Inter opportunities and the only time Cannavaro was beaten on the night. Quite a feat when looking at the competition and Canna’s recent form which left most Napoletanos wanting to flay their hometown boy.

20-year old Marek Hamsik awoke from his recent slumbers to whip in crosses and dangerous free kicks all evening. His golden scoring chance came early in the second when received a beautiful ball from Zalayeta who controlled it skillfully and passed it off to the Slovakian who hit a laser saved by Cesar. He even found Canna at the top of the top of the box in the 29th minute after dribbling past an Inter defender. The header was directly well but parried away by Cesar who will only be remembered for his gaffe. Cesar may have been the man of the match save for that mistake but I guess that’s little consolation to the ~~Argentine National squad~~ Inter. His best save of the net came against Materazzi who in an attempt to clear the ball mishit a shot that was inches from going into the net before Cesar seemingly dived across half the distance of his net to parry the ball away. Someone tell me why Doni or Dida ever play in the net for Brazil? Ever?

The match turned a bit ugly when Matteo Contini smacked Ballotelli with an elbow causing the young striker to sit out for awhile as physios attended to his cut. While the Inter defenders complained (gasp!), the elbow certainly didn’t appear to be malicious.
Guys run. Guys run with their arms pumping. Faces get near men who run with pumping arms. Bleeding ensues. Get a grip. Happened to me last week playing a game too. Move on, boys. Move on.

Roberto Mancini brought on Javier Zanetti in to replace Maniche at the start of the second half. Mancini had to have thought he could rest his captain for a change. I’d be hard pressed to ever leave him out of my starting XI or sub him out. He’s simply one of the best and most versatile players in the world.

What would a game in Italy be without a little controversy? In the 73rd minute, Napoli caught Inter on the counter-attack when Inter pushed up too many players into the attack on a corner. Napoli broke out and Lavezzi took the ball at least 60 yards down
the pitch before leading Gargano a bit too long into the Inter box. Julio Cesar came off his line and got to the ball but Gargano did a “Lavezzi leap” (see his dive against Juve earlier this year) and Napoli was awarded a dubious penalty. Maurizio Domizzi normally takes our pk’s but was suspended (for the second time this year) for the match. Coach Edy Reja choose to have Zalayeta take the pk and it was blocked by Cesar. To be fair, Cesar took a big step forward before the kick to cut down the angle as the pk wasn’t taken too badly. In any case, karma prevailed and the scoreline remained 1-0.

From that point on, every time Inter had the ball I simply awaited the inevitable. I fully expected a repeat of the Cagliari debacle where we dropped 3 points by allowing two late goals in stoppage time. However, this time Napoli did not go into a shell. They kept pressing and beating Inter to every loose ball and going in hard on every challenge. We’d seemingly have to wait forever for Rizzoli to blow his whistle as five minutes of extra time was added. But Inter never got close to goal. This was one for the ages.

I cannot bring myself to criticize Reja today. There’ll be plenty of time for that later. Let’s enjoy this one, shall we?

Match highlights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAUsG89iCgg