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GRANDE SMALL INTER
After suffering the penalty kicks, celebration erupts for Inter.
1. The group with the cup: at top left corner, there was also Ernesto Paolillo.
2. Di Gennaro saves the third penalty which was Veltman's.
3. Inter are in paradise and Stramaccioni is launched into the air.
Di Gennaro: 8
Saved Veltman's penalty which has allowed Inter to make history. Great.
Pecorini: 7.5
The fullback invented by Stramaccioni, was the water source that flowed the goal for Inter.
Longo: 7.5
Scored 6 goals in NextGen Series. He was able to find space fantastically for the 1-0.
Bessa: 7.5
In difficulty, he always tried to trigger the sparks. What a delicious assist for Longo's goal.
STRAMACCIONI'S BOYS CONQUER EUROPE
The Nerazzurri scored with Longo, Ajax equalized, then stayed in 10 men: the victory came from the spot.
London - Grandissima Inter. Even stronger than Ajax, stronger than referee's errors (the red against M'Baye was excessive, also wrongly called to retake a saved PK). Able to build their chances, stay after it, score the goal and fight. Even with ten men. At the end, all had to be decided from the spot just like Torneo di Viareggio but this time, things went smoothly. Inter win the first edition of NextGen Series, the Champions League for youngsters, and do so with an extraordinary authority. It is a well deserved award for the club which has invested a lot in its youth system. It is a reward for a marvelous group, united and quality. It is a reward for a coach, Andrea Stramaccioni, who has shaped this club and now has won a very prestigious title in his first year (the 9th of his coaching career). What came from London is also a signal, loud and clear: Italian football has had thousand of faults, but still has much to teach those outside its borders.
Waiting The first half was very tactical, maybe not too exciting but with good football. Inter and Ajax have different characteristics and that is what we saw. The Dutch were able to confirm two things: the ability to play as a team that knows how to dribble very well. Inter, at the start, decided to not risk too much and took care of the ball. As a result, Inter, for long stretches, were not near the opopnent's nose, so much so that Stramaccioni did try to invent something by shifting Bessa to the center of the attack with Longo and Livaja very wide. Ajax were very dangerious with a freekick by Fischer which ended just over the bar (14th minute) and with a volley by Klaassen which hit the post (16th). The first chance for Inter was created after the half hour mark: a beautiful exchange between Bessa and Longo, with the Brazilian's shot blocked by Fischer. That Fischer there, he is a gem. Just before halftime, Pecorini, the player who started to play for Inter at just nine years old, kicked off the action for the goal. As a result of his constant pressing on the opposite side of his position, he was able to win the ball back and send it over to Bessa. The Brazilian, without even looking, provided a great assist for Longo and consequently for the 1-0.
Personality Ajax equalized right after at the beginning of the second half with a beautiful free kick from 20 meters out by Denswil. The game then experienced long periods of equilibrium, with the defenses always being attentive and with a few shots on goal. A collision during the game, bad, but not horrible between M'Baye and Veltman led to the red for the Senegalese. But Inter held firm, and brought the game into extra time. Ajax then hit the crossbar twice with Klaassen and Denswil but Inter also mimicked it with Crisetig and Longo. Romano also had at his feet the winning ball but he shot right at the keeper. It was a chilling final minutes with De Bondt's goal ruled out for offside and Hasnaoui's shot saved by Di Gennaro. Then came the penalty shootout. This time, it went smoothly.