Julio Ricardo Cruz
MILAN, Italy – Julio Ricardo Cruz scored twice Saturday to help Inter Milan beat Napoli 2-1 in the seventh round of the Italian first division.
Cruz scored in the 20th and 36th minutes – the first goal off Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s pass, and the second after chesting down Dejan Stankovic’s lob.
Roberto Carlos Sosa headed in a consolation goal for Napoli in the 84th.
Also Saturday, Riccardo Zampagna missed an 81st-minute penalty for Atalanta in a 0-0 draw with Udinese.
Inter leads the Serie A standings with 17 points, followed by Juventus with 13, Fiorentina with 12, and AS Roma and Udinese with 11. Napoli is tied with Atalanta and Palermo with 10 points.
On Sunday, it’s: Catania versus Livorno; Fiorentina versus Juventus; Genoa versus Cagliari; Palermo versus Reggina; Parma versus AS Roma; Siena versus Empoli; Torino versus Sampdoria; and Lazio versus AC Milan.
Cruz was making only his second start of the season and took his chance well.
He slotted the ball into the net from close range for his first goal, after strike partner Ibrahimovic dribbled past three defenders and provided a perfectly weighted assist.
The Argentine’s second goal was more spectacular, as he controlled Stankovic’s floated pass on his chest and hit a powerful shot past Napoli goalkeeper Gennaro Iezzo.
Cruz could have had a hat trick but steered his attempt just wide in the 39th.
He was substituted in the 79th by David Suazo, who should have made it 3-0 a minute later but missed the target from close range.
Ibrahimovic, who looked threatening every time he touched the ball, went close to scoring in the 42nd but was denied by an outstanding reflex save from Iezzo.
Newly promoted Napoli had few opportunities but its tenacity was repaid when Mariano Bogliacino picked out Sosa for a consolation goal.
In Bergamo, Atalanta looked to have won the match when Maximiliano Pellegrino was fouled in the area. But Zampagna sent his penalty kick high and the ball ricocheted off the crossbar.
Atalanta could have been ahead at half time but was unable to beat Udinese goalkeeper Samir Handanovic, who made a series of excellent saves – the best in the 40th, when he tipped midfielder Fernando Damian Tissone’s deflected shot over the bar.
Ferdinando Coppola was hardly troubled at the other end, only making one real save, although it was a good one. The Atalanta goalkeeper needed to dive at full stretch in the 45th to parry Udinese forward Simone Pepe’s free kick, which clipped the defensive wall.
Atalanta midfielder Diego De Ascentis was cautioned in the 76th and will miss the next match.
Atalanta, which was founded in 1907, concluded its 100th anniversary celebrations before kickoff with a parade of former players, who wore the club’s blue and black jersey with "100" written on it.
Source: www.tsn.ca
