Inter beat Red Bull Salzburg 4-0 in friendly match

Inter defeated Austrian champions Red Bull Salzburg 4-0 in a friendly match at the Tony Bezzina Stadium.

This was the second friendly match for the Italian giants as part of their training camp in Malta after defeating Gzira United 6-1 on Monday.

Photos courtesy of  Domenic Aquilina/International Malta Friendlies 2022

Inter made their intentions clear right from the start, going close with a first-time effort by Barella on the 4th, following a cross by Gagliardini, from the right but his attempt was blocked. Three minutes later, Mkhitiaryan hist just wide off a cross by Dimarco and on the 9th, a Dimarco diagonal shot scraped past the post.

Inter took the lead on the 20th when Dimarco served Henrikh Mkhitaryan who slotted the ball past goalkeeper Nico Mantl.

The nerazzurri maintained the pressure and Barella just missed the target with another first-timer by Barella won the half-hour.

Four minutes from the end of the first half, Inter doubled the score when off a Calhanoglu freekick from the right, Francesco Acerbi headed home.

Just before half-time, Inter could have added another but the Salzburg goalkeeper performed a good save on an Edin Dzeko effort.

Early in the second half, Salzburg went close to reducing the gap with a Karim Konate effort but the nerazzurri threatened once again with a cross from the left by Gosens from which Mkhitaryan headed high on the 54th.

A Maximilian Wober effort, deflected by Skriniar, was parried by Handanovic on the 55th and on the hour, a powerful shot by Konate was parried by the Inter goalkeeper. Eight minutes later, Handanovic performed another good save on a Maurits Kjaergaard effort.

However it was Inter who scored the third goal on the 72nd minute when off a cross from the right by Bellanova, Dzeko served Henrikh Mkhitaryan who placed the ball at the back of the net.

One minute in added time, Valentin Carboni scored Inter’s fourth, sliding the ball home past goalkeeper Adam Stejskal following an assist by Gosens from the left.

Photos courtesy of  Domenic Aquilina/International Malta Friendlies 2022

INTER Samir Handanovic (72′ Alex Cordaz); Milan Skriniar (85′ Stefano Di Pentima), Francesco Acerbi (85′ Alessandro Fontanarosa), Alessandro Bastoni (85′ Andrea Pelamatti); Raoul Bellanova (80′ Nicolo Biral), Nicolo Barella (72′ Valentin Carboni), Hakan Calhanoglu (46′ Kristjan Asllani), Roberto Gagliardini (85′ Tommaso Guercio), Federico Dimarco (46′ Robin Gosens); Henrikh Mkhitaryan (80′ Aleksandar Stankovic); Edin Dzeko (72′ Jan Zuberek).

SALZBURG Nico Mantl (46′ Adam Stejskal); Amar Dedic (46′ Ignace Van der Brempt), Samson Baidoo, Bernardo, Maximilian Wöber; Lawrence Agyekum (65′ Raphael Hofer), Nicolas Seiwald (65′ Tolgahan Sahin), Maurits Kjaergaard; Dijon Kameri (65′ Zeteny Jano); Sekou Koita (31′ Roko Simic), Karim Konate.

Referee: Trustin Farrugia Cann
Assistant Referees: Luke Portelli, Edward Spiteri
Fourth Official: Malcolm Spiteri