Two slide-rule balls from Kaka, one on to a grateful Filippo Inzaghi’s head and one past a sprawling Julio Cesar, were the difference in a match that has greater ramifications for the red half of Milan than the blue. The three points were vital to keep the Rossneri’s fingertips on that fourth and final Champions League spot, whereas the Scudetto remains Inter’s to lose. No doubt Inter would have loved to have clinched the title at the ground of their bitter local rivals, but in the end Milan’s greater coherence in the midfield made the difference. Maniche, though the supplier of Milan’s first two meaningful efforts on goal, was a largely peripheral figure and made way for 17-year-old Mario Balotelli during the second half. Patrick Vieira and Esteban Cambiasso fared little better than their little colleague, with the former particularly guilty of squandering possession. Vieira at times battled manfully, only to be let down by woeful distribution. On one occasion in the second half he held off two defenders at the edge of the Milan penalty area, only to misplace his pass to Maicon who was standing not three metres away. It was emblematic of Vieira’s struggles to impose himself on a game that was clearly passing him by.
In the end the game was decided in the middle of the park. Ambrosini was tireless and with Seedorf intelligently supporting Kaka’s darting runs, it was clear that Inter lacked the creativity in the final third that Milan had in abundance. Inter’s greatest attacking threat in the first half was Maicon, who stormed up from his position at right full-back at every opportunity. Unfortunately for him Milan’s backline, marshalled by Alessandro Nesta prevented Hernan Crespo and Julio Cruz from getting anywhere near any of the Brazilian’s dangerous crosses.
A Cruz free kick made for a tense final quarter of an hour. Though Cruz was clinical with his placement, Zeljko Kalac in the Milan goal could have positioned himself better along the goal line. The Australian redeemed himself to turn away a sweetly struck dead ball from Christian Chivu some minutes later, and in the end Milan were comfortable winners. David Suazo looked dangerous when he replaced Crespo, but in the end the Honduran relied on pace alone, and though that was enough to force Daniele Bonera into a bookable foul of desperation, only Mario Bolatelli seemed to possess any the the guile needed to unpick the Milan defence. Mancini’s substitutions were effective but it was too much too late for a team that desperately needs a creative influence in the centre of the field. With Juventus regrouping well after a season in Serie B, and Milan finally hitting form over the past few months, I’m not sure that a Milan team that rely so much on the currently injured Zlatan Ibrahimovic for improvisation will be able to retain their title next season without more investment in imaginative midfield passers.
