Inter 2-1 Lazio: Player ratings as Nerazzurri go top of Serie A again

Inter moved back to the top of Serie A with a hard-fought 2-1 win at home to Lazio on Sunday night.

In their opening match of 2022, delayed after a midweek meeting with Bologna never materialised, Inter rattled the ball around with a swagger that belied the 18-day wait for a return to the pitch.

Lautaro Martinez had the ball in the net in the 17th minute but was denied a 12th goal of the campaign by a whisker-wide offside VAR spotted. Penning Lazio into their own half for large swathes, Inter cranked up the pressure as Stefan de Vrij and Lautaro again went close.

Alessandro Bastoni proved the unlikely source of Inter’s opener. Steadying himself as he collected a half-cleared corner, Inter’s centre back threaded a 25-yard effort through a clustered box and into the bottom corner half an hour in.

Yet, Inter had barely finished their second rendition of the celebrations before Ciro Immobile struck Lazio level completely against the run of play. Ruthlessly capitalising upon a collective blackout from De Vrij and Milan Skriniar, the visiting skipper sharply darted onto the drop ball Danilo Cataldi impishly knocked over the top.

Lazio were buoyed after netting Inter’s first concession in Serie A for the best part of ten hours of football with bright moments either side of half-time.

However, playing with an unhurried assurance, Inter stuck to their patient passing game. Ivan Perisic may have nudged the hosts back into the lead but Skriniar eventually nodded his side ahead in the 67 minute, steering Bastoni’s arced cross over the line via a satisfying clank off the underside of the crossbar.

The visitors huffed and puffed until the final whistle but couldn’t prevent Inter extended their winning run to eight league games on the spin.

Samir Handanovic (GK) – 5/10 – Did his best Superman impression to punch the ball away from Immobile but left swatting embarrassingly at thin air.

Milan Skriniar (CB) – 6/10 – Ever eager to sneak into midfield, Skriniar was buffeted away from the ball far too easily for a rare mistake that he rectified himself.

Stefan de Vrij (CB) – 6/10 – Spraying passes to either flank, De Vrij had a chance to open the scoring before playing a detrimental role as they were pegged back in one moment of misjudgement.

Alessandro Bastoni (CB) – 8/10 – A goal, an assist and Felipe Anderson firmly in his pocket at the end of an impressive evening.

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Ivan Perisic (right) holding Luiz Felipe at bay / Giuseppe Cottini/GettyImages

Denzel Dumfries (RWB) – 7/10 – Communicated with his defensively-minded teammates superbly in transition while bounding forward repeatedly.

Nicolo Barella (CM) – 6/10 – Dropping into the backline and breaking forward alongside the side’s strikers, Barella was desperate to be involved all over the pitch.

Marcelo Brozovic (CM) – 7/10 – Playing with a breezy, almost lackadaisical strut, there were one or two nervy moments for Inter’s relaxed regista in an otherwise surreptitiously instrumental display.

Roberto Gagliardini (CM) – 5/10 – Skirting around the fringes of the contest without imposing himself on proceedings.

Ivan Perisic (LWB) – 7/10 – A constant outlet for the big switch of play, Perisic didn’t shirk his defensive duties.

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Alexis Sanchez (right) had a wonderfully crafted assist ruled out for offside / Giuseppe Cottini/GettyImages

Alexis Sanchez (ST) – 7/10 – Given license to roam against the Romans, Sanchez peppered the game with some delicate link play.

Lautaro Martinez (ST) – 5/10 – Inter’s top scorer will rue the narrow margins involved in his disallowed goal.

Edin Dzeko (ST) – 5/10

Joaquin Correa (ST) – 5/10

Matteo Darmian (RWB) – N/A

Arturo Vidal (CM) – N/A

Federico Dimarco (LWB) – N/A

Lyon 1-1 PSG: Player ratings as Parisians scrape another underwhelming point

Paris Saint-Germain once again relied on a late goal to scrape a result in Ligue 1 on Sunday night, playing out a stodgy 1-1 draw with Lyon.

Thilo Kehrer’s 75th-minute strike was enough to salvage a point for the visiting side, but the familiar theme of a lack of collective cohesion reared its head once more for Mauricio Pochettino’s star-studded squad, translating itself into disharmony at the back.

And PSG’s early defensive sluggishness was punished by the hosts, as Peter Bosz’s men took the lead in just the eighth minute. After Houssem Aouar squandered a one-on-one opportunity in the opening exchanges, Lucas Paqueta made no mistake in the same situation as he expertly brought down Bruno Guimaraes’ stunning lofted pass and rifled home with aplomb.

As the intensity of Lyon’s game waned towards the latter stages of the opening period, however, PSG were able to get a firmer grip of proceedings. After surviving a few dangerous breakaway moves from the hosts, the Parisians went close to levelling the scores just before half time as Kylian Mbappe curled a delicious attempt that agonisingly flicked the outside of the post.

Both sides ought to have found the back of the net within the opening 15 minutes of the restart, with Mauro Icardi passing up a gilt-edged chance in front of goal from an inch-perfect Nuno Mendes delivery before Aouar once again failed to convert after some heart-in-mouth pinball in the PSG penalty box.

The visiting side were slightly better following a change of shape after the break. A shift to a diamond in midfield allowed the Parisians more control of possession and, although barely deserving of an equaliser, substitute Kehrer managed to find one with 15 minutes remaining.

Fellow substitute Edouard Michut was on hand to deliver a cut back into the box, only for the ball to roll through the area all the way to Kehrer, whose mishit effort eventually found its way past Anthony Lopes in the Lyon goal.

Pochettino’s side may have been ahead just minutes after, only for Mbappe to once again hit the outside of the post via a gorgeously curled free-kick from the left wing. In the end, however, the Frenchman’s misfortune in front of goal reflected his side’s general lack of threat in what was a severely disappointing performance.

The draw puts PSG 11 points clear at the top of the French top flight, although inspires no confidence for the prize they’re truly after.

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Marquinhos battles with Lucas Paqueta in the air / JEFF PACHOUD/GettyImages

Keylor Navas (GK) – 6/10 – Had no chance of saving Paqueta’s finish but did well to keep out several other efforts on his goal.

Colin Dagba (RB) – 6/10 – Generally strong defensively, registering four ball recoveries, although was largely slack in possession and failed to have much of an impact when venturing upfield.

Marquinhos (CB) – 7/10 –
As composed as ever, reading the game well to make four recoveries – including one piece of pivotal defending to deny a certain goal at 1-0.

Presnel Kimpembe (CB) – 5/10 – Pulled out of position and was nowhere to be seen as one long diagonal into his channel dissected PSG for the opener. Woke up after a shaky first half though, and regained some composure following the interval.

Nuno Mendes (LB) – 6/10 –
A creative danger, whipping in some unbelievable crosses and managing three key passes. Although he may have done better on the cover to prevent the opening goal, he was generally solid at the back.

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Marco Verratti couldn’t showcase his undoubted quality / JEFF PACHOUD/GettyImages

Ander Herrera (CM) – 5/10 – Another tenacious display, tearing around and constantly harrying his opposition to turn possession over on numerous occasions, but was too passive with the ball.

Leandro Paredes (CM) – 5/10 – At times overwhelmed by the dynamism of the hosts’ midfield but was invariably combative at the heart of the side, putting in some beautifully crunching challenges.

Marco Verratti (CM) – 5/10 – Had some silky touches in a congested midfield to knit things together and build play, but generally struggled to impose his genius against the intensity and physicality of Lyon’s press and, as a result, gave away several cheap fouls born out of frustration.

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A frustrating night for Kylian Mbappe / JEFF PACHOUD/GettyImages

Georginio Wijnaldum (RW) – 2/10 – His movement and pressing were lackadaisical, his overall influence non-existent, and his desire pathetic. Saw more of the ball with a slight tweak of system after the break but still looked utterly disinterested – a January move might be for the best.

Mauro Icardi (ST) – 4/10 –
Had some decent moments of link-up play but was simply absent for the large majority of the game. Missed a brilliant chance to level the score early in the second period.

Kylian Mbappe (LW) – 6/10 – Inevitably his side’s brightest spark, looking the only man in blue capable of creating something for large spells. Desperately unlucky to hit the post in the first half before doing the same with a sensational free-kick in the second.

Thilo Kehrer (RB) – 7/10 – Managed to squeeze in an equaliser following his introduction.

Xavi Simons (CM) – 6/10 – Immediately injected some drive and intensity into a dull midfield.

Edouard Michut (CM) – 7/10 – Bright and creative after coming on, assisting his side’s equaliser.

Eric Ebimbe (CM) – N/A

Africa Cup of Nations 2021 roundup – January 9

Everyone’s favourite mid-season tournament is back – AFCON 2021 (in 2022) is underway!

While Covid-19 threatens to whittle squads down to the bare bones and force outfielders to play in goal (yes please), the tournament kicked off in Cameroon on Sunday, with the hosts among the first teams to get their campaigns off and running.

So while Liverpool are pencilling in some draws and losses for their usual AFCON-induced malaise, let’s see what happened on the opening day of action…

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Cameroon opened AFCON with victory / KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/GettyImages

Hosts Cameroon had to come from behind in order to kick their home tournament off with a win against Burkina Faso in Group A.

The visitors came into the game as huge underdogs – not least after six players and head coach Kamou Malo tested positive for Covid-19 in recent days – but took a shock first-half lead through Gustavo Sangare.

Bertrand Traore picked out the midfielder to finish at the far post to put Burkina Faso ahead at the newly-built Olembe Stadium, but Cameroon managed to turn the game on its head with two penalties before the interval.

Aston Villa man Traore was judged by VAR to have impeded Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, and Vincent Aboubakar made no mistake from the spot to level proceedings.

The Al-Nassr striker doubled his tally from 12 yards in first-half stoppage time with Issoufou Dayo bringing down Nouhou Tolo, and the Indomitable Lions survived a second-half onslaught to notch up the first three points of AFCON 2021.

Elsewhere in Group A, Cape Verde managed to keep 10-man Ethiopia at arm’s length and chalk up their maiden win of the tournament.

With only seven minutes on the clock, Yared Bayeh cynically brought down Julio Tavares on the edge of his own area, and received a yellow from referee Helder Martins Rodrigues de Carvalho.

But after a VAR check that lasted nearly five minutes, Bayeh’s booking was upgraded to a red card and he was dismissed.

From there on, it was always going to be an uphill battle for the Walia Ibex, and they nearly made it into half-time on level terms with the Blue Sharks.

Nearly.

In stoppage time, Garry Rodrigues managed to pluck a looping ball out of the air and back across goal in one motion for Tavares to head home the game’s only goal.

Aston Villa in talks to sign Lucas Digne from Everton

Aston Villa are in talks with Everton over the signing of want-away left back Lucas Digne, 90min understands.

The 28-year-old France international has fallen out-of-favour with Toffees boss Rafa Benitez and has barely played in the last couple of months.

Benitez has been scathing of Digne, insisting that he was told by the former Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona man that he wanted to quit Goodison Park.

Everton have brought in Ukrainian youngster Vitaliy Mykolenko as his replacement, leaving the path clear for Digne to leave.

However, Everton have insisted that they would only let Digne leave on a permanent deal and have refused to entertain a loan move away.

Digne, who has already rejected an approach from Newcastle United, had made it clear through his representatives that he would ‘love’ the chance to move to Chelsea. The Blues are looking for left-sided reinforcements following Ben Chilwell’s season-ending knee injury.

Chelsea as well as West Ham, were only willing to do an initial loan, but now Villa have jumped in and opened talks over a permanent deal.

Everton have been looking for £30m, though it is believed Villa are looking to pay less than £25m – but sources have told 90min that both clubs are confident a deal will be struck.

Digne has indicated that he is open to the idea of joining Villa, who have already made a big splash this month with the loan signing of Barcelona’s Philippe Coutinho.

Villa aren’t necessarily looking to conclude a deal early next week though are wary of late interest from elsewhere. But it is clear that Steven Gerrard is getting the full backing of the club’s owners since taking charge.

It is believed Gerrard wants at least another two players on top of Digne and Coutinho, with another midfielder and a forward in his sights.

Sebastian Breza returns to CF Montreal on loan

Sebastian Breza returns to CF Montreal on a loan stint from Italy’s Bologna FC for the 2022 Major League Soccer season, the club announced Saturday.

The Canadian MLS club originally declined Brreza’s contract option at season’s end but worked out another loan with the Serie A side. 

“We are happy to have Sebastian back with the team for the upcoming season,” sporting director Olivier Renard said in a statement. “We were pleased with his progress last season, so we wanted him to continue on with us. We opted not to exercise his option, but we remained in close contact with Bologna and his return is confirmed today.”

The player was initially loaned to CF Montreal last April and picked up two clean sheets in eight starts. The 23-year-old was also the club’s starter through their Canadian Championship title run, earning tournament MVP honors after a pair of shutouts in three matches.

Breza is the third goalkeeper listed on the Canadian side’s roster, fighting for playing time against homegrown James Pantemis, who made 18 starts in 2021, and Jonathan Sirois. 

The goalkeeper kicked off his career with Ste-Julie Soccer Club before leaving to join S.S. Monopoli at 16 years old. In 2016, he was loaned to Palermo FC and recorded 54 games with Potenza SC in the Italian third division. Breza joined Bologna FC 1909 in August 2020.

Internationally, Breza has previously been selected by the U20, U21 and U23 Canadian national teams.

CF Montreal returns to action on February 27 against Orlando City SC as the 2022 MLS season starts. The Canadian side will also feature in the 2022 edition of the Concacaf Champions League, beginning on February 15 vs. Liga MX club Santos Laguna.