Despite losing Júlio César in the 22nd minute, the goalkeeper sent off with a straight red, Inter Milan managed to come back and win 2-1 over Lazio at the San Siro. The nerazzurri, helped along by goals by Wesley Sneijder and Samuel Eto'o, also reclaimed second place with that win, as Napoli concurrently lost 2-1 at Palermo. The converted penalty by Mauro Zárate was just not enough for Lazio, not for a team that should have been easily dominating the ten man Inter.
Inter Milan Vs. Lazio: Penalties and Sendings Off Abound, But Inter Milan Get 2-1 Win
It looked as though the visitors would have an easy time of it after Júlio César was sent off in the 22nd minute. Up a man, playing against substitute keeper Luca Castellazzi, taking points off Inter should have been no problem. Zárate’s penalty may not have been flawless, but Castellazzi could do nothing about it, and it looked as though Lazio would easily find the win.
Except, well, Lazio were Lazio. Despite everyone in the known universe knowing the danger that is Wesley Sneijder on a set piece, Lazio conceded one just outside the area, with the midfielder sending his shot over and into the top corner of the net. Fernando Muslera got a finger on it, but could do nothing to prevent the equalizer, which came just before the halftime whistle.
Things went from bad to worse for Lazio in the second. In the 53rd minute, Eto’o made a fool of Giuseppe Biava and went straight through to a one-on-one with Muslera. Muslera being Muslera, he could only flap at the Cameroonian, who gave the keeper a disdainful look before putting the ball int he back of the net. 2-1 Inter, and suddenly Lazio were desperate.
That desperation manifested itself in Stefano Mauri's extremely stupid decision to kick out at Inter defender Yuto Nagatomo, after being unable to bundle him off the ball. The ref immediately drew the red card, leaving just twenty men on the pitch for the remaining 24 minutes. Zárate managed to hit the side netting, but that was the closest Lazio could come to recapturing any of the points.
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