Inter Milan hosted a true festival of football at San Siro, securing a dominant 4-1 victory over Cremonese. The Nerazzurri were not just aesthetically pleasing but also fiercely hungry, eager to seal the win swiftly after opening the scoring. Statistics reveal their complete dominance: 27 total shots, 9 on target, though even these figures don`t fully capture the control Chivu`s side exerted, conceding little until the final moments at 4-0. A standout positive for Chivu was another strong performance from Dimarco and, notably, Bonny`s first start, marked by a goal and an impressive three assists (counting the setup for Dimarco`s powerful shot).
First Half: Lautaro and Bonny Lead the Charge
The breakthrough came quickly for Inter in the 6th minute. Nicolò Barella dispossessed Sanabria, then played a deep pass to Bonny, who found a wide-open Lautaro Martínez. The `Toro` made no mistake, putting Inter ahead. The second goal arrived in the 38th minute: Barella fed Dimarco, who delivered a cross to the near post, where Bonny beat everyone with a header to make it 2-0. In between these goals, Inter created numerous chances, including a goal by Akanji that was disallowed for a marginal offside.
Second Half: A Relentless Inter Attack Seals the Deal
Inter picked up right where they left off. Following a corner, the ball fell to Federico Dimarco, who unleashed a lethal left-footed shot that left Cremonese goalkeeper Silvestri with no chance. Inter`s relentless attack continued, leading to the 4-0 goal in the 57th minute. A misplaced clearance from Silvestri found Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who then picked out Bonny. Bonny patiently waited for Barella`s run, and Barella calmly finished. Inter enjoyed their lead, managing the game and firing shots from outside the box. However, in the 88th minute, Bonazzoli pulled one back for Cremonese with a splendid volley from a cross from the left, denying Inter a clean sheet. Nevertheless, it was a minor setback as Chivu`s team secured three crucial points, climbing to 12 points.
Chivu: “We were dominant, I`m happy if they get angry”
“For once, I`ll take credit for the good things we did; we were dominant and enjoyed ourselves. We conceded a goal, but never mind; I`m happy for this team, which is working really hard to achieve its objectives.”
Regarding Denzel Dumfries` visible frustration after being substituted, Chivu added: “We shook hands and exchanged a few jokes. If he was angry about the change, I`m happy. My goal is to make them angry; yesterday I said I wanted them angry, and I succeeded.”
Cremonese Coach Nicola: “Inter`s level is too high”
“First of all, Inter deserved the win, no doubt about that. However, Cremonese played their game, and we acknowledged Inter`s physicality and quality, a team that reached the Champions League final last year. The level of this Inter side is too high, and we need to build our season with all our available players.”
He continued: “We tried to build from the back but lacked technical precision and had issues with set pieces, conceding several counter-crosses. Despite this, the team didn`t get disheartened. We scored a goal, and perhaps there were opportunities for another. We need to grow and not lose heart.”
