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Inter scored twice in the final minutes to overturn an incredible game with Siena, winning 4-3 in stoppages thanks to Walter Samuel!
The leaders welcomed bottom of the table Siena to San Siro and again fielded the 4-2-3-1 system. This time around Goran Pandev was joined by Wesley Sneijder and Ricardo Quaresma as support for Diego Milito. Samuel Eto'o is on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Mario Balotelli suspended, Sulley Muntari, Cristian Chivu, Davide Santon and Marco Materazzi injured. Siena were smarting from their midweek 5-1 home defeat to Fiorentina and missed Luca Rossettini, Francesco Parravicini and Abdel Ghezzal.
Some acrobatic Emilson Sanchez defending prevented Sneijder from turning in at the back post. After eight minutes Pandev shrugged off a defender and placed the angled drive towards the far bottom corner, but Gianluca Curci got a fingertip to turn it round the upright.
However, it was Siena who took a shock lead with an absolute screamer! He gathered in the centre-circle, the defence backed up as he advanced and the former Middlesbrough man unleashed a rocket of a left-foot shot from 25 metres that slotted into the top corner.
Douglas Maicon surged forward, exchanging passes with two players, before he drilled inches past the near post.
Inter drew level with another well-taken strike. It was a counter-attack and Diego Milito ran on to a long ball down the left channel, cut in past Cribari and placed a powerful right-foot snooker shot into the far bottom corner of the net.
Brandao volleyed wide from a corner, but Inter turned the game around completely on 36 minutes.
Dejan Stankovic was brought down on the edge of the box and Sneijder curled a perfect free kick into the near top corner. The team celebrated by holding up a T-Shirt that read: 'Come back soon, Cris.' It was aimed at Cristian Chivu, who is in intensive care after fracturing his skull.
The Nerazzurri were still celebrating when Siena equalised less than 60 seconds later! Juventus-owned Albin Ekdal was left totally unmarked to run on to a chipped Reginaldo pass from the right and fire home undisturbed from seven yards. It was his debut Serie A goal.
The last time Inter conceded two goals was in their last defeat, 2-1 to Juventus on December 5.
Paul Constantin Codrea cleared a very timid Thiago Motta header off the line from a corner kick. Surprisingly, Jose Mourinho went into the locker room when the first half was still playing.
There were several changes at the break. Stankovic and Siena goalkeeper Curci went off with muscular problems, while Quaresma was dropped, so Marko Arnautovic and Walter Samuel came on, moving Javier Zanetti to midfield.
New shot-stopper Gianluca Pegolo's first intervention was at full stretch to smother a Sneijder snapshot and Arnautovic's follow-up. Pegolo then bravely came out into the D to clear with a diving header from Milito.
It was a wide-open game, as Julio Cesar palmed a Reginaldo free kick out from under the crossbar. Jajalo dispossessed Maicon in defence and rolled back for Simone Vergassola to fire just wide, as the San Siro crowd began to mutter.
The goal was in the air and Siena took the lead again! Reginaldo ran rings around Samuel with some fancy footwork down the right channel and pulled it back for the on-rushing Maccarone to thump it in low from the edge of the box.
Mourinho's final tactical change replaced Thiago Motta with youth team player Stevanovic and a 4-2-4 system. The teen immediately put the ball through for Goran Pandev, but Pegolo rushed out to close at his feet.
Maccarone was left unmarked to loop a free header off target from another Reginaldo cross. Siena now had acres of space on the counter and Maccarone blasted another effort over and Julio Sergio smothered a third attempt.
There was controversy on 81 minutes, as in a bid to speed up play Mourinho ran down the touchline to put the ball back on to the field. However, he then exchanged words with the referee by stepping on to the pitch, as play could not resume with Jajalo down injured.
Inter did snatch a point at the 88th minute with yet another Sneijder free kick. It was a more central position this time, but he flashed it across the face of goal to ricochet in off the inside of the far post. It was the Dutchman's first Serie A brace.
Now the Nerazzurri's tails were up and Codrea hacked down Zanetti from behind as he surged towards the danger zone. Sneijder took another free kick from further out and bombed it over the bar.
The referee awarded four minutes of stoppages and with 70 seconds to go Inter scored their fourth! Pandev's through ball allowed Samuel to spring the offside trap, turn and immediately drill an angled drive into the far bottom corner!
Siena were furious and Cribari appeared to be shown the red card for dissent after the final whistle.
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