INTER THRASH EMPOLI 4-1
Inter thrashed Empoli 4-1 in Wednesday's Week 17 match at the Meazza and remain eight points behind Serie A leaders Juventus, who won 2-0 at home to Siena.
Adriano and Cruz scored first-half goals, Figo and Martins adding the others after the restart to stretch Inter's unbeaten run to twelve matches.
The Nerazzurri stunned the Tuscans with an early opener in the third minute when Adriano pounced and slotted his tenth league goal of the campaign under Berti after the Empoli keeper failed to hold a Cambiasso shot.
After a clash of heads with Raggi the Brazilian striker was replaced in the 20th minute by Cruz, who increased Inter's lead in time added on at the end of the first period, bringing his tally for the season to double figures with a precise right-foot shot from the edge of the Empoli area.
Inter went close to a third early in the second half when Cambiasso directed a Cruz pass on to the post, but Empoli were soon back in the game when Vannucchi beat Julio Cesar with a stunning first-time strike from the distance.
Luis Figo restored Nerazzurri's two-goal advantage three minutes later with a crisp, diagonal shot after meeting Martins' intelligent ball into space, then the Nigerian completed the scoring five minutes from full time with his seventh of the season, beating Berti with a low-right-foot shot into the bottom left corner.
INTER 4-1 EMPOLI (HT: 2-1)
Scorers: Adriano 3, Cruz 45+5, Vannucchi 64, Figo 67, Martins 85
INTER: 12 Julio Cesar; 4 J. Zanetti , 3 Burdisso, 25 Samuel, 16 Favalli; 7 Figo , 14 Veron (33 Wome 88), 19 Cambiasso, 21 Solari (6 C.Zanetti 70); 10 Adriano (9 Cruz 20), 30 Martins Subs not used: 1 Toldo, 8 Pizarro, 11 Mihajlovic, 20 Recoba Coach: Roberto Mancini
EMPOLI: 1 Berti; 46 Raggi, 6 Coda, 3 Lucchini (80 Vannucchi 33), 21 Bonetto (21 Lodi 59); 24 Buscè, 27 Ficini, 4 Almiron, 5 Moro; 99 Riganò (9 Gasparetto 84), 10 Tavano Subs not used: 23 Balli, 15 Vanigli, 18 Serafini, 33 P.Zanetti Coach: Mario Somma
Referee: Oscar Girardi (San Donà di Piave)
Bookings: Lucchini 29
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