Inter Milan 3 : 2 Palermo - Pazzini inspires Inter comeback
Posted Sunday, January 30, 2011 by PA
Inter Milan delivered a stunning second-half fightback to wipe out a two-goal deficit and get the better of Palermo 3-2.
Fabrizio Miccoli gave Palermo an early lead and when Antonio Nocerino made it two the odds looked to be stacked against Leonardo's men.
Debutant Giampaolo Pazzini gave Inter hope, but they still had to survive a missed penalty from Javier Pastore before they wrapped up the win with Pazzini's second and a Samuel Eto'o spot-kick.
Palermo could not have wished for a better start, with Miccoli netting from close range after a dangerous ball in from Mattia Cassani.
Inter looked to hit back and had three great chances to do so, with Eto'o playing in Diego Milito who could not make a clean enough connection, Lucio heading straight at Salvatore Sirigu and Esteban Cambiasso failing to make the most of a free header in the box.
Their missed chances came back to haunt them too, as Nocerino got into the area, stormed past Maicon and slammed home.
Davide Santon had to clear off his own line as Cassani looked set to give Palermo a three-goal lead and Pastore hit a post as Inter were unable to live with their opponents.
Galvanised by Leonardo at the break, Inter hit back after the restart, with Pazzini, making his first appearance since joining from Sampdoria, lashing in a half-volley from just inside the area, before Josip Ilicic became the second Palermo player to hit a post.
Inter had an even greater let-off with 26 minutes remaining, as Pastore had a penalty saved by Julio Cesar after Thiago Motta had brought down Pajtim Kasami.
That proved to be the lifeline Inter needed and, with 73 minutes on the clock, Pazzini headed in a Maicon free-kick, and, three minutes later, Eto'o completed the turnaround from the spot after Pazzini had been felled by Ezequiel Munoz.
There was still time for an Eto'o shot to skim the post and for Palermo to bemoan their luck once more as Cesar made an unbelievable stop to prevent Maicon scoring an own goal with two minutes remaining.
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