We’re getting there people! Minus-5 days for the big beginning: on Saturday August 25^th at 18:00 CET Lazio and Torino will officially kick off a brand new year of Serie A! Effectively however, the 2007-08 season has already begun with the first official competition of the Italian league, one that pits last year’s league champions vs. the winners of Coppa Italia. Yes, I’m talking about the Italian Super Cup.

For the 2^nd year in a row, the “SuperCoppa Italiana” would be in contention of Inter and Roma, two teams on familiar ground in the competition (3 SuperCup titles for the Nerazzurri –including last year’s– and 2 for the Giallorossi). Coincidentally, the Coppa Italia final last May was also a Inter vs. Roma match-up , a game which ended 8-3 (agg.) in favor of the Giallorossi. Considering just how much certain Inter players wanted this trophy, surely tonight was going to be a whole other game for Mancini‘s team?

Think again: this was Roma’s game from start to finish. Whenever Inter’s players showed up at Roma’s doorstep they found goalkeeper Doni on his guard, or were otherwise hindered by Suazo‘s poor finishing form tonight. Ibrahimovic tried to pull a few numbers out of his bag of tricks, but his efforts went wasted in a night where the rest of the Inter team was very poorly inspired indeed.

Roma started the game at 100 miles per hour. Giuly and Vucinic immediately obtained the first chances for the Giallorossi within the 15 minute mark, but their efforts were wide. The Frenchman notably found himself with a high number of great balls to open the score tonight, but always lacked the accuracy to produce. In midfield Totti was in fine form, distributing his usual share of golden assists, and De Rossi and Aquilani provided a dam that the Inter players found a hard time penetrating. Yet, despite Roma’s domination, the scoreline remained tied on 0-0 for the first half. Only notable chances for the Nerazzurri: two timid shots by Suazo and Ibrahimovic that didn’t worry the Roma goalkeeper all too much.

In the 2nd half, Inter seemed to awaken from their slumber and obtained two early good opportunities through David Suazo: first on a toe-poked shot (right at Doni, following a great dribble on Mexès), then on an open header over the bar (following a great cross by Burdisso). On the other end, Giuly wasn’t having too much of a great night either: set up in excellent position by yet another penetrating ball of Francesco Totti, the French winger chipped the ball horribly wide with Doni rushing out to meet him.

In the 70th, Inter could have flipped the game right on its head and scored against the run of play: Figo (set-up by an amazing long-range diagonal pass of Ibrahimovic) found himself all alone in front of the Roma keeper, but the touch of the Portuguese star was too long, allowing Doni to get behind the ball and clear the danger. Inter would be regretting this mistake a few minutes later, because Totti (set up on the left wing) hypnotized Burdisso with a few feints, stepped back towards the center, and tripped on the trailing leg of the Argentine defender. Clear penalty (despite Totti embellishing the fall), duly transformed by Daniele De Rossi (Totti had felt a slight pull in the muscle, preferring to leave the spot shot to his teammate).

It was going to be the last chance of the match, as it was decidedly not Inter’s night at the Giuseppe Meazza stadium. Final score 1-0 for Roma, who won the 2^nd Super Coppa of their history.

Funny note of the evening: Perrotta’s red card in the 72^nd, before he even entered the field! Waiting on the sideline for a substitution, he pparently (quoting from the RAI commentators) said to the linesman “Così ci fate perdere la partita” (You’re making us lose the game this way). This was after witnessing a suspected handball in Inter’s box, that could have awarded Roma a penalty with the score still tied. If you ask me, it seems a bit severe… but it’s safe to assume he might have used an expletive too many.

	INTER – ROMA 0-1
GOALSCORERS: 78’ pen. De Rossi (R)
INTER (4-3-1-2): Julio Cesar – Burdisso (86’ Cruz), Cordoba, Materazzi, Chivu – Vieira (67’ Cambiasso), Dacourt (52’ Figo), Zanetti – Stankovic – Suazo, Ibrahimovic. (bench: Toldo, Samuel, Maxwell, Crespo). Coach: Mancini.
ROMA (4-2-3-1): Doni – Cassetti, Mexès, Panucci, Tonetto – De Rossi, Aquilani – Vucinic (90’ Rosi), Giuly, Taddei (73’ Brighi) – Totti. (bench: Curci, Andreolli, Mancini, Perrotta, Nonda). Coach: Spalletti.

Posted in Inter, Roma, Supercoppa Italiana |

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