Serie A 21/22: Venezia 0-2 Inter

Returning home after defeating Bologna at Stadio Dall’Ara in clinical fashion, Venezia welcomed reigning champions Inter Milan to a rain-soaked Stadio Penzo on Saturday night in Giornata 14 of the 2021/22 Serie A season. After going down a goal, Venezia would raise their game in the second half and were in with a chance to the very end, but ultimately they could not manage to snatch an equalizer, and Inter would tack on a penalty in the 96th minute, giving them all three points in a 0-2 win.

Despite capturing the Scudetto for the first time since their treble-winning 2009/10 season, it was a summer of significant change on the blue side of Milan, and whereas the Nerazzurri had maintained the stingiest defensive record in Serie A last season under Antonio Conte, they came into last night's contest with the league’s most prolific attacking record under Simone Inzaghi.

In response, Venezia manager Paolo Zanetti’s tactical approach was to revert back to the 4-3-2-1 formation that he had deployed to defeat Roma in Giornata 12, with David Okereke operating alone up front, creative midfielders Mattia Aramu and Sofian Kiyine playing more withdrawn, and the trio of Gianluca Busio, A.J. Vacca, and Ethan Ampadu maintaining their places in midfield. In this shape, Venezia could defend deep, stay compact, and spring forward on the counter-attack.

For much of the first half, the match would follow the script. Venezia primarily defended in their own area, and they proved capable of keeping the ball and advancing up the pitch, only slightly trailing Inter in overall possession and accurate passes.

But Inter would eventually shift into another gear.

In the 30th minute, Inter’s Matteo Darmian crossed to his opposite wingback Ivan Perišić, who snapped off a strong header on goal, forcing ‘keeper Sergio Romero into a diving save.

A minute later, hulking striker Edin Džeko controlled a floated ball into the box and fought off his markers to turn on goal, but a loose dribble allowed Romero to intervene with a sweeping kick.

In the 34th minute, Inter would break through. After a dizzying sequence of passing as Inter searched for an opening in Venezia’s defense, the ball was cut back for Turkish international midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu, who took a touch and hammered a low shot through traffic that skipped past Romero.

Venezia went close to an equalizer five minutes later, when Aramu unleashed a swerving shot from distance that seems destined to tuck inside the top corner, but Inter captain Samir Handanović kept it out with an incredible fingertip save. It stood as Venezia’s best chance of the first half, and Inter would take their advantage into the break.

Zanetti’s Venezia have shown themselves to be brave and resilient this season, so it wasn’t much of a surprise to see them become more enterprising right from the start of the second half, as they kept extended possession and worked the ball deeper into Inter’s end. In the 52nd minute, Aramu had another go from the edge of the area, cutting in from the right side, firing with his left foot, and just missing the top corner.

Looking to push the issue, Zanetti swapped right-back Pasquale Mazzocchi for attacker Dennis Johnsen in the 62nd minute, shifting to a 4-3-3 formation with Johnsen, Okereke, and Aramu leading the front line.

Johnsen’s pace and vertically immediately caused Inter problems and gave Venezia a new outlet on the counter-attack. But Inter kept their composure through the fresh challenge, and they remained a threat to strike again.

In the 71st minute, Romero came up with a massive one-on-one save on Džeko, as the Argentine and the back line, led by Mattia Caldara and Pietro Ceccaroni, continually fought off Inter’s threats and helped Venezia stay in the game.

In the 75th minute, Zanetti further upped the ante by introducing another striker in Thomas Henry, along with the energy and physicality of young midfielder Tanner Tessmann. Shortly after coming on, Tessmann nearly found an equalizer, after shifting his feet just outside the box to find the angle for a good shot, but his effort would go over the bar.

In the 84th minute, Zanetti made his final moves and emptied his bench, bringing on striker Francesco Forte and midfielder Domen Črnigoj, but Venezia ultimately could not generate the key incisive pass into the box — ending the match with 18 crosses, but only two accurate crosses.

In the final moments, Inter would make it 0-2, as a questionable handball ruling via VAR review allowed Inter striker Lautaro Martínez to convert a penalty in the 96th minute and wrap up the result.

If not points, there were positives to take from the match, as Venezia benchmarked themselves against the champions and gave them a proper test.

Venezia have a quick turnaround now, playing away to fourth-place Atalanta on Tuesday evening in Giornata 15.

Venezia 0-2 Inter Milan

Scorers: Çalhanoğlu 34’, Martínez 90+6’ (P)

Venezia (4-3-2-1): Romero, Mazzocchi (Johnsen 62’), Caldara, Ceccaroni, Haps, Vacca (Tessmann 71’), Ampadu (Črnigoj 84’), Busio, Aramu (Henry 71’), Kiyine, Okereke (Forte 84’)
Subs not used: Lezzerini, Modolo, Svoboda, Molinaro, Heymans, Peretz, Sigurðsson
Coach: Paolo Zanetti

Inter Milan (3-5-2): Handanović, Škriniar, Bastoni, Dimarco, Darmian (Dumries 71’), Barella (Gagliardini 82’), Brozović, Çalhanoğlu (Vecino 57’), Perišić (D'Ambrosio 82’), Correa (Martínez 58’), Džeko
Subs not used: Sensi, Ranocchia, Cordaz, Satriano, Radu
Coach: Simone Inzaghi