Antonio Candreva was either very lucky or inspired to give Salernitana the equaliser with a sensational looping finish, cancelling out the Robin Gosens opener for Inter in a game where both teams rattled the woodwork.
The Nerazzurri were feeling the pressure after three consecutive Serie A defeats and the tense midweek Coppa Italia semi-final with Juventus, which saw Romelu Lukaku and Samir Handanovic sent off. Danilo D’Ambrosio was still suspended, with Hakan Calhanoglu and Milan Skriniar injured, so Simone Inzaghi made seven changes. The hosts were unbeaten in five and missed Federico Fazio, Domen Crnigoj and Pasquale Mazzocchi.
It took just six minutes to break the deadlock, as Kristjan Asllani put a ball over the top and Lukaku’s knockdown went beyond Joaquin Correa, for Robin Gosens to sweep into the top corner first-time. It was their first goal from open play in 490 minutes of competitive football.
Moments later, Lukaku’s angled drive skimmed the base of the far post from a Correa counter-attack, then Guillermo Ochoa palmed away the Correa header, although there were suspicions of offside on the Gosens cross.
Salernitana got into the game as the half wore on, Andre Onana smothering Lassana Coulibaly’s daisy-cutter, but Ochoa had to use his knees to deny a Lukaku downward header from point-blank range.
After the restart, Nicolò Barella’s strike from outside the box was fingertipped onto the base of the far post by Ochoa at full stretch.
Andre Onana had to fingertip a wayward Antonio Candreva cross out from under the bar, with Bradaric and Candreva efforts deflected on the resulting corner.
Ochoa was also alert on a Henrikh Mkhitaryan scorcher, but was crucial in an incredible triple chance that saw Lukaku’s diving header hit the crossbar from a couple of yards, then Ochoa’s miraculous save on the Stefan de Vrij follow-up and a third attempt off target.
Hans Nicolussi Caviglia drilled wide after a good run, then Boulaye Dia hit the crossbar from six yards when meeting the Candreva cross from the right.
Another promising Salernitana counter-attack was cut short by Matteo Darmian’s interception, while Lautaro Martinez finished off a rapid sprint with a weak finish.
Lukaku got a shot away on the turn, but again Ochoa got down very quickly to palm it away.
Salernitana equalised with a former Inter player and a huge stroke of luck, because either Candreva was trying to whip in a cross from the right or he spotted the goalkeeper off his line, but it looped over Onana and into the far top corner.
Salernitana 1-1 Inter
Gosens 6 (I), Candreva 90 (S)
Player statistic
| 6' |  |
Robin Gosens (Assist: Romelu Lukaku) | ||
| 34' |  |
Stefan de Vrij | ||
| Lassana Coulibaly | |
38' |
| Hans Nicolussi Caviglia | |
70' | ||
| 89' | |
Roberto Gagliardini | ||
| Antonio Candreva (Assist: Boulaye Dia) |
|
90' |
Match statistic
