Dzeko and Calhanoglu Kick Off Inter Season with Win Over Genoa

Genoa, Inter, Inter Milan, Serie A, Serie A 2021-2022

Serie A Champions Inter started their title defense with an emphatic 4-0 win over Genoa, with Edin Dzeko and Hakan Calhanoglu scoring on their debut.

Last season’s Serie A winners had a difficult summer, with some of the key players behind the Nerazzurri’s success parting ways with the club. But all the premature pressure placed on them was quickly forgotten as the reigning champions came out strong in the first five minutes of the new season.

The first chance of the game fell to Stefan de Vrij, who latched on to an accurate pass inside the penalty box and unleashed a half-volley towards goal on a turn, but it went a little too high over the crossbar.

Moments later, Inter replicated what they did so well last season, opening their account from a corner-kick. Milan Skriniar outjumped the defense inside the six-yard box to meet the corner and scored with a brilliant header into the top left side of the goal.

Any speculation that Inter would have a difficult start to the new season was debunked in the 15th Stefano Sensi played a short one-two with Calhanoglu, who then linked up with Dzeko. The Bosnian played it back to the Turkish international, and the former Milan midfielder unleashed an unstoppable shot from distance into the bottom right corner, making it 2-0.

Inter continued to dominate possession for the rest of the first half, with Genoa posing little to no threat going forward. It was Dzeko who nearly scored on his debut for Inter when he received a floated ball from the right wing, but his shot on a turn crashed against the crossbar.

It took Genoa almost the entire half to find their way into the game and have possession for any length of time. The visitors had an excellent chance to make it 2-1 just before half time when Yayah Kallon received a brilliant through ball inside the box, but his shot went narrowly wide of the right post.

On the other end, it looked like Inter had already decided the game when Ivan Perisic scored the third goal of the evening for the Nerazzurri, but after an intervention from VAR the goal was disallowed.

Genoa came out of the dressing room strong in the second half, trying to get back into the game within the first few minutes. Kallon was on the end of action once again for the visitors when he latched onto a pull back in the box, but his shot low towards the middle of the goal was rather weak and Samir Handanovic made an easy save.

Ten minutes later, Calhanoglu netted his second goal of the evening after a brilliant cross from the left by Perisic, but the Croatian international was just offside in the build up and the goal did not stand.

After a rather stale next 15 minutes, Dzeko brought the game back to life with his two efforts on goal. The Bosnian first failed to score with a powerful header in the middle of the goal, which was saved by Salvatore Sirigu. Moments later, he fired a brilliant low shot into the bottom right corner, which was again stopped by Sirigu.

Inter finally sealed the game once and for all when Nicolò Barella played in Arturo Vidal following Dzeko’s shot, and the Chilean showed great determination to get to the ball before a couple of defenders, slotting it home into the bottom right corner to make it 3-0 to the champions.

Dzeko finally got his dream debut goal with two minutes remaining in regulation, as Vidal produced a beautiful lofted ball into the box, where the Bosnian rose high to head the ball straight under the crossbar and beyond the goalkeeper.

 

MATCH SCORECARD

August 22, 2021 – Serie A 2021-22 Round 1
INTER-GENOA 4-0

SCORERS: 4′ Skriniar, 14′ Calhanoglu, 74′ Vidal, 87′ Dzeko

INTER (3-5-1-1): Handanovic; Skriniar, De Vrij, Bastoni (84′ Dumfries); Darmian, Barella (77′ Vecino), Brozovic, Calhanoglu (77′ Satriano), Perisic (69′ Dimarco); Sensi (69′ Vidal); Dzeko (Cordaz, Radu, Kolarov, Ranocchia, Agoume, D’Ambrosio, Pinamonti) Coach: S. Inzaghi
GENOA (3-4-3): Sirigu; Vanheusden, Biraschi (46′ Serpe), Criscito; Sturaro (71′ Melegoni), Badelj, Rovella, Hernani (46′ Bianchi), Cambiaso (46′ Sabelli); Pandev, Kallon (54′ Favilli (Marchetti, Masiello, Ekuban, Buksa, Agudelo, Eyango, Portanova) Coach: Ballardini

REFEREE: Mr. Marini from Rome
NOTES: Yellow Cards: Criscito, Sturaro (G); Added Time: 1st Half 3′, 2nd Half 4′

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