BuffloSoldier
09-23-2007, 03:36 PM
LEGHORN, September 23 (Serie A) - Defending champions Internazionale suffered a shock at Livorno but recovered to draw and remain unbeaten in Serie A.
Inter came from behind twice against Serie A's bottom club and were forced to play the final 10 minutes with 10 men after Maicon was shown a straight red card for kicking out at Erjon Bogdani.
Daniele de Vezze put the hosts in front inside 60 seconds before Zlatan Ibrahimovic equalised with the first of his two goals.
Massimo Loviso restored Livorno's lead from the penalty spot but Sweden international Ibrahimovic converted a penalty 19 minutes from time to level.
Roberto Mancini watched as his side put in a second disappointing performance of the week following their 1-0 defeat to Turkish giants Fenerbache in their opening Champions League fixture on Wednesday night.
De Vezze added to the Nerazzurri's gloom before they had even had time to settle at the Stadio Armando Picchi.
The midfielder controlled a long ball forward before firing a powerful shot low beyond Julio Cesar in the visitors' goal.
Alessandro Diamanti attempted to add to the scoreline four minutes later with an audacious long shot from 30 yards which never threatened to find the net.
Adriano and Ibrahimovic then combined in Inter's first attack before the tall Swede set up Maicon, but the Brazilian shot wide from the edge of the area.
Adriano tried to backheel Inter level, but Simone Pavan blocked the shot before Fabio Galante cleared the ball to safety.
Inter levelled 10 minutes before the interval when Maicon found Ibrahimovic who struck a fierce shot beyond Marco Amelia in the hosts' goal.
David Balleri had an effort saved by Julio Cesar before the visiting stopper denied Loviso moments before the break, tipping over from the edge of the area.
Julio Cesar remained the busier goalkeeper at the start of the second half.
First, he comfortably held Bogdani's weak shot after the striker was played in by Diamanti.
Two minutes later the Brazilian saved from Diamanti, who struck a well-placed shot from 20 yards.
Amelia denied Ibrahimovic from a dangerous cross before Livorno took the lead for the second time in the game.
Diamanti moved past Maicon and crossed to the far post, but Nico Pulzetti was pushed off the ball by Inter defender Luis Jimenez giving the referee no option but to point to the spot. Loviso calmly placed the ball to the right of Cesar.
But the Nerazzurri fought back once more and when Ibrahimovic was fouled by substitute Raham Rezaei in the hosts' penalty area, the referee awarded a spot-kick.
Ibrahimovic drilled the ball low into the bottom left corner.
Maicon was dismissed to give Inter a numerical disadvantage but three minutes later they thought they had won the game when Ibrahimovic lifted the ball over Amelia following a move involving Dejan Stankovic and Aparecido Cesar but the strike was ruled out for offside.
Another miraculous save from Julio Cesar denied Livorno two minutes from time.
The Brazilian made an incredible reflex save from Bogdani's close-range header after a left-wing free-kick from Loviso.
Inter came from behind twice against Serie A's bottom club and were forced to play the final 10 minutes with 10 men after Maicon was shown a straight red card for kicking out at Erjon Bogdani.
Daniele de Vezze put the hosts in front inside 60 seconds before Zlatan Ibrahimovic equalised with the first of his two goals.
Massimo Loviso restored Livorno's lead from the penalty spot but Sweden international Ibrahimovic converted a penalty 19 minutes from time to level.
Roberto Mancini watched as his side put in a second disappointing performance of the week following their 1-0 defeat to Turkish giants Fenerbache in their opening Champions League fixture on Wednesday night.
De Vezze added to the Nerazzurri's gloom before they had even had time to settle at the Stadio Armando Picchi.
The midfielder controlled a long ball forward before firing a powerful shot low beyond Julio Cesar in the visitors' goal.
Alessandro Diamanti attempted to add to the scoreline four minutes later with an audacious long shot from 30 yards which never threatened to find the net.
Adriano and Ibrahimovic then combined in Inter's first attack before the tall Swede set up Maicon, but the Brazilian shot wide from the edge of the area.
Adriano tried to backheel Inter level, but Simone Pavan blocked the shot before Fabio Galante cleared the ball to safety.
Inter levelled 10 minutes before the interval when Maicon found Ibrahimovic who struck a fierce shot beyond Marco Amelia in the hosts' goal.
David Balleri had an effort saved by Julio Cesar before the visiting stopper denied Loviso moments before the break, tipping over from the edge of the area.
Julio Cesar remained the busier goalkeeper at the start of the second half.
First, he comfortably held Bogdani's weak shot after the striker was played in by Diamanti.
Two minutes later the Brazilian saved from Diamanti, who struck a well-placed shot from 20 yards.
Amelia denied Ibrahimovic from a dangerous cross before Livorno took the lead for the second time in the game.
Diamanti moved past Maicon and crossed to the far post, but Nico Pulzetti was pushed off the ball by Inter defender Luis Jimenez giving the referee no option but to point to the spot. Loviso calmly placed the ball to the right of Cesar.
But the Nerazzurri fought back once more and when Ibrahimovic was fouled by substitute Raham Rezaei in the hosts' penalty area, the referee awarded a spot-kick.
Ibrahimovic drilled the ball low into the bottom left corner.
Maicon was dismissed to give Inter a numerical disadvantage but three minutes later they thought they had won the game when Ibrahimovic lifted the ball over Amelia following a move involving Dejan Stankovic and Aparecido Cesar but the strike was ruled out for offside.
Another miraculous save from Julio Cesar denied Livorno two minutes from time.
The Brazilian made an incredible reflex save from Bogdani's close-range header after a left-wing free-kick from Loviso.