Inter close gap on rivals

Posted Thursday, February 03, 2011 by PA

Inter Milan closed the gap on Serie A leaders AC Milan to seven points with a flattering 3-0 victory over Bari - but should have been down to 10 men before their goals came.

Cristian Chivu was lucky to avoid a red card in the 58th minute at the San Nicola stadium when he thrust a fist maliciously into the face of Bari's Marco Rossi, inside the home side's penalty area.

Rossi went to ground but soon rose to raise his indignation with referee Andrea Romeo, however the official from Verona and his assistants had not witnessed the off-the-ball incident so Chivu escaped punishment.

The Italian league authorities will almost certainly be pressed to take some action, however, so clearly was the incident caught on camera.

Inter had delivered a mediocre performance to that stage and they hardly improved greatly, but eventually superior class told against the team at the foot of the table, and after Houssine Kharja marked his first league start for the club with the opening goal after 70 minutes, two more arrived in stoppage-time from Giampaolo Pazzini and Wesley Sneijder to give Inter a winning margin they scarcely deserved.

Yet they are closing in on their city rivals now, up to third place and with a game in hand on the leaders.

Inter had the first opening when Maicon picked out Diego Milito who sent a shot just wide of the right post, but then goalkeeper Julio Cesar had to be sharp to turn away a superb free-kick from the home side's Sergio Almiron.

Despite having just one win in their previous 17 games, Bari were not fearful of Inter and Simone Bentivoglio was the next to take aim but his 12-yard strike failed to test Julio Cesar.

Maicon missed for Inter and former Bari defender Andrea Ranocchia had a superb header blocked on the line by Jean Francois Gillet as the champions pressed, but there was no first-half breakthrough.

Samuel Eto'o was denied by a block from Rossi at the start of the second half, which exploded into life when Romania international Chivu threw his punch at Rossi.

Inter stayed cool though and Kharja did well to take on a short pass from Eto'o and drill a low left-footed shot across Gillet from a position to the left of goal for the opener.

Two decent chances then fell to Bari's Alessandro Gazzi. From the first he was denied by an excellent Julio Cesar save, and then when he made space for another shot he failed to apply the required force.

Inter punished the hosts in the dying stages, as Pazzini weaved his way past Rossi before tucking a shot past Gillet, who should have made the save.

And Sneijder, returning as substitute from the thigh injury he sustained in December's World Club Cup, put the finishing touches to the win when Kharja chested down a cross from the right and the Dutchman planted a firm close-range shot beyond Gillet.