Inter Milan failed to take advantage of their city rivals AC Milan dropping points as they were held to a goalless draw at Genoa on Friday night.
Starting just after Milan had been held to a draw at home to Udinese, Inter had the chance to go top of Serie A but were far from their best.
The nearest they came to scoring was when Danilo D’Ambrosia headed Hakan Calhanoglu’s corner against the bar just after the hour mark.
The only other time the deadlock really looked like being broken was in the first ten minutes when there were chances at both ends. Calhanoglu drove wide from ten yards after Nicolo Barella’s low cross and then Albert Gudmundsson cooly took down Kelvin Yeboah’s flick on but, though he squeezed the ball past Samir Handanovic, it also went just wide of the post
The draw means Inter remain two points behind Milan at the summit of the Italian top-flight and Napoli can now take over on top if they win at Lazio on Saturday.
TALKING POINT
Over to you Napoli – Both Milan giants failing to win at home has presented Napoli with the chance to go top, albeit they face the toughest task of the three, facing Lazio away.
It is now 32 years since the Diego Maradona and Careca inspired Napoli side won their last title, but surely this is the year to end this run. Neither Milan side have a forward line which can be relied upon to win games, with both putting all their hopes on veteran centre forwards to score enough goals down the stretch and though Inter remain favourites they do not look like recapturing their early season form. While the Naples side have scored the least of the three so far, you feel they have the capabiity to eke out the close wins down the stretch. It might be a case of now or never, with Inter likey to be spending heavily and Juventus sure to be stronger next season will be a much tougher title to win.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Leo Ostigard (Genoa) – There are certain men you want in a defensive struggle – and the Norwegian centre back is certainly one of them. He was not the only Genoa player prepared to put his body on the line, with Johan Vasquez and Milan Badelj also making crucial blocks but the Rossoblu number 55 shone brightest. It might seem a big step from playing with Stoke in the Championship (where he was on loan in the first half of the season) to quelling Eden Dzeko but he was more than up to the task.
PLAYER RATINGS
Genoa: Sirigu 7, Hefti 7, Maksimovic 6, Ostigard 8*, Vasquez 7, Sturaro 7, Badelj 7, Melegoni 7, Portanova 6, Yeboah 6, Gudmundsson 6.
Subs: Cambiasso 7, Calafiori 6, Kallon 6, Amiri 6, Rovella 6.
Inter: Handanovic 6, D’Ambrosio 7, De Vrij 7, Bastoni 6, Dumfries 6, Barella 7, Brozovic 7, Calhanoglu 7, Perisic 7, Sanchez 6, Dzeko 6.
Subs: Vidal 5, Vecino 6, Martinez 7, Dimarco 7, Caicedo 6.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
6′ So close from Calhanoglu! Barella put a low ball into the box from the right and it fell at Calhanoglu’s feet but he flashed an effort just wide of the goal.
8′ So close at the other end! Yeboah flicked on a long ball into the path of Gudmundsson who calmly gets the ball in his stride before shooting just wide of the goal,
62′ How did it stay out! D’Ambrosio heads CAlhanoglu’s corner at goal from six yards out but it comes back off the bar and then somehow a scramble from the rebound does not end in a goal.
90′ Great block from Ostigard Caicedo slipped Martinez through on goal but the Norwegian defender put his body on the line to stop the shot.
