Sydney Tigers end Viareggio with loss to giants Inter Milan

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Things didn?t start too brightly for Sydney Tigers and they found themselves a goal down just three minutes into the match. A long ball from Chukwuma found the Sydney Tigers backline too square, Stefano Giacomelli springing the off-side trap with an inch perfect run to go one-on-one with Michael Rutherford.
Giacomeli kept his cool and slotted high into the net to give his team the perfect start.
Inter doubled their lead in a frantic goal mouth scramble just two minutes later. A long throw from left back Bindzi created havoc in the penalty area and when the ball popped out at waste height for Fortunato, the midfielder picked his spot from four-yards with a diving header.
Sydney Tigers?s Tom Taylor had the best chance of the half for the Aussies. Quick thinking from Jason Trifiro, who played a quick free-kick after being fouled into the path of Taylor, Taylor turned his first marker but blasted his shot wide of the target from 20 metres.
Inter could have gone into the break in-front by a third goal if not for the woodwork acting as the Australians 12th man. A brilliantly weighted free-kick from Fortunato fell into the path of Bindzi, the big defender rising highest to thump his header into the post from 4 yards.
Inter did get the third of the match but it wasn?t until the 60th minute that they pieced the Sydney Tigers defence once again. A long ball from Romanian youth International Cristan Daminuta found substitute and man of the match Mattia Destro with his back to goal.
Destro held the challenges of three Sydney Tigers defenders before turning inside the box to have only Rutherford to beat, dispatching his shot through the keepers? legs and into the back of the net.
They continued to pressure the Aussies, the woodwork keeping out Stevanovic twice, his first a rasping volley that almost shattered the cross-bar, his second leaving the post shaking for a few moments with a left foot drive from 10 yards.
Taylor could have got his side a consolation goal in the 65th minute, intercepting a poor back pass, his rising shot forcing Inter goal keeper Relec into a wonderful diving save.
Inter then put the game beyond doubt in the 75th minute in what was an amazingly constructed team goal, started and executed by the skill of substitute striker Destro.
Destro, who had replaced captain and top goal-scorer Aiman Napoli at the break, justified his inclusion with a second goal that oozed class. Combining with first-half goal-scorer Giacomelli and fellow substitute Sesay, the three set-about destroying the Aussie back-line with a series of precise passes in tight areas before Destro turned his man with one touch inside the box and deftly chipped substitute keeper Adriano Varnier with a second.
Sydney Tigers did get a goal back in the closing stages, a world class goal that mirrored Inter Milan?s fourth of the game. A superb piece of vision by Jason Trifiro set Callum McGrouther on his way.
McGrouther surged into space waiting for support from his wide men which eventually came from Sasa Macura. The midfielder held the ball up in time for his striker to arch his run behind the Inter back-line,  McGrouther cutting his ball back to winger Kevin Oliveira who?s precise run to the penalty spot paid dividends, lashing the ball home with his left foot.
?Inter Milan! What a world-class team, commented coach Barry Walker.
?I told Kevin Oliveira that he?ll be able to tell his grand children about scoring against arguably the best team in Italy, he continued.
?I?m lost for words. We?ve just been beaten 4-1 by these guys and there?s such a buz in the change-room. That?s what this tournament is all about. Myself and the rest of the squad have come away from the Viareggio Cup with knowledge that we?ll keep with us for the rest of our lives,? concluded an ecstatic Walker.
Match Stats
DAY 14 (13th of February): Third Tournament match vs Inter Milan
Sydney Tigers: Rutherford (varnier 60); Talone (riggio 80), Collard, ramirez, maruzza(c); andricopoulos, trifiro, oliveira, macura (costantini 75) ; taylor; mcgrouther
Substitutes: baloglow, kose, campo, sahin, pagnozzi, casali, o?rourke
Coach: Barry Walker
Goals: Oliveira
Inter Milan: relec; rigione, bindzi, daminuta, mei; chukwuma (sesay 72), fortunato, gerbo; stevanovic(tremolada 60), napoli (destro 45), giacomelli
Substitutes: BOCALONI, TOPPAN, DONATI, KRHIN, BAVENNA
Coach: Vicenzo Esposito
Goals: Giacomelli, Fortunato Destro x2
-By Joe Piazza