Inter’s Europe hopes hit by shock 2-1 defeat at Crotone
Inter Milan’s hopes of qualifying for Europe were dented yesterday when it slipped to a shock 2-1 defeat at relegationthreatened Crotone in Serie A.
Inter’s dreams of Champions League football next season were already over but it now faces the prospect of failing to qualify for the Europa League following a first-half double from Diego Falcinelli.
Inter has picked up just one point in its three matches since thrashing Atalanta 7-1 and dropped to seventh, two points behind AC Milan and the last qualifying spot for the Europa League. The two Milan teams face off in a derby on Saturday.
Crotone gave itself hope of escaping relegation as it moved to within three points of 17thplaced Empoli with a second successive victory.
Crotone took a deserved lead in the 18th minute when Gary Medel handled in the area and Falcinelli drilled the resulting penalty into the bottom left corner. Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic guessed the right way but could not make the save.
Falcinelli doubled his tally four minutes later as he narrowly avoided being caught offside, sprinted forward and lifted the ball over Handanovic.
It was almost 3-0 shortly before halftime but Joao Miranda stopped Marcus Rohden’s goalbound effort with his chest near the line.
Inter got back into the match in the 65th. Ever Banega’s corner was nodded on by Geoffrey Kondogbia for Danilo D’Ambrosio to volley in from close range.
The visitors almost leveled seven minutes later but Eder’s effort rebounded off the inside of an upright.
Inter poured forward but Crotone held on through a tense seven minutes of stoppage time before the final whistle sparked scenes of celebration at the Stadio Scida.
OTHER MATCHES
AC Milan leapfrogged above bitter rivals Inter with a comfortable 4-0 victory over Palermo.
Suso came back from injury and scored an early free kick, before setting up Mario Pasalic for Milan’s second. Carlos Bacca headed in a third before halftime and Gerard Deulofeu scored after the break.
Palermo defender Giancarlo Gonzalez was sent off following a second booking seven minutes from time.
Fiorentina moved to within five points of a European spot as a last-minute goal saw it snatch a 2-2 draw at Sampdoria.
Elsewhere, Torino came from behind to win 3-2 at Cagliari. Han Kwang-Song had become the first North Korean to play in Serie A when he came on for the final four minutes against Palermo last weekend and the 18-year-old netted Cagliari’s second in stoppage time.
Udinese beat Genoa 3-0. Lega Pro B
Yesterday Fano-Pordenone ............................. 2-3 Forli-Maceratese ............................. 2-3 Gubbio-Mantova ............................. 3-2 Modena-Santarcangelo ................... 1-0 Parma-Ancona ................................. 0-2 Teramo-Reggiana ............................ 0-1 FeralpiSalo-Bassano ........................ 3-0 Lumezzane-Sudtirol ........................ 0-1 Today AlbinoLeffe-Sambenedettese Padova-Venezia
Yesterday Sampdoria-Fiorentina .................... 2-2 Fernandes 5’ (S), Rodriguez 60’ (F), Alvarez 71’ (S), Babacar 89’ (F) AC Milan-Palermo ......................... 4-0 Suso 6’, Pasalic 19’, Bacca 37’, Deulofeu 70’ Bologna-AS Roma .......................... 0-3 Fazio 26’, Salah 41’, Dzeko 75’ Cagliari-Torino .............................. 2-3 Borriello 19’ pen (C), Ljajic 33’ (T), Belotti 39’ (T), Acquah 54’ (T), Han Kwang 90+5’ (C) Crotone-Inter ................................. 2-1 Falcinelli 19’, 22’ (C), D’Ambrosio 65’ (I) Udinese-Genoa .............................. 3-0 De Paul 20, Zapata 31’, Rubinho og 49’ Lazio-Napoli ................................... 0-3 Callejon 25’, Insigne 51’, Insigne 90+2’
Standings
Juventus AS Roma Napoli Lazio Atalanta AC Milan Inter Fiorentina Sampdoria Torino Udinese Chievo Cagliari Bologna Sassuolo Genoa Empoli Crotone Palermo Pescara
Serie B 31 25 2 4 62 20 77 31 23 2 6 69 26 71 31 20 7 4 72 33 67 31 18 6 7 52 34 60 31 18 5 8 52 34 59 31 17 6 8 47 33 57 31 17 4 10 57 35 55 31 14 10 7 49 39 52 31 12 9 10 39 37 45 31 11 11 9 59 52 44 31 11 7 13 41 40 40 31 11 5 15 35 45 38 31 10 5 16 41 62 35 31 9 7 15 29 46 34 31 9 5 17 38 49 32 31 7 8 16 30 51 29 31 5 8 18 18 49 23 31 5 5 21 25 51 20 31 3 6 22 25 67 15 31 2 8 21 31 68 14
Yesterday Brescia-Spal ..................................... 1-3 Today Novara-Verona
Lega Pro C
Yesterday Akragas-Paganese ........................... 1-2 Casertana-Foggia ............................. 0-3 Fondi-Messina ................................. 1-1 Juve Stabia-Matera ......................... 1-2 Lecce-Taranto .................................. 3-0 Reggina 1914-Catanzaro ................. 1-0 Vibonese-Catania ............................ 1-1 Virtus Francavilla-Andria ................. 0-2 Cosenza-Siracusa ............................. 1-2 Monopoli-Melfi ............................... 1-1