Sourced from Daily Echo article
THE VERDICT: Historic Inter win a cause for Saints to reflect
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Reflection seems to be an almost constant state of mind for Saints fans these days.
From The Dell, the years of struggle, administration, the climb up the divisions via Hartlepool away on a Tuesday night, back to the Premier League and European qualification.
In recent weeks it’s been a journey that has led to the San Siro, talk of a £200m buyout from China and Inter Milan visiting St Mary’s.
It is fair to reflect that these are indeed heady days. And reflection is a sensible mindset, as it actually allows the chance to enjoy and appreciate what is taking place.
Reflection allows context, and in Saints’ history this is a remarkable chapter, something that might not last forever and so has to be enjoyed here and now for what it is, and in a way that befits this club and it’s place in the world.
There was something wonderfully quaint about the 30,000 red and white stripped flags left on the seat of every Saints fan at the ground for last night’s game when compared to the banners the Inter fans produced at the San Siro that were the size of a house. It was perfect.
The whole atmosphere around the ground was warm and convivial, very much in keeping with Saints and the slight sense of wonder that this evening was happening at all given all that had come before.
While the talk of a potential takeover from the Far East had dominated the build-up, Claude Puel had promised his side would be very much keeping their eye on affairs on the pitch. For them reflection would be a distraction, this was about business.
Puel took a big gamble by ignoring those who called for him to play his strongest side for one of the biggest nights on the club’s history by again ringing the chances.
Jose Fonte again sat on the bench, while Charlie Austin was only used for the last half hour as the game felt as though it was slipping away.
However, Puel got away with it. You couldn’t help but feel it was more a case of getting away with it rather than anything more inspired, but the win was all that mattered.
In the end Puel could justify his approach. He got the win and, with Sparta topping Group K with nine points, and Saints now three and four points clear of Hapoel Be’er Sheva and Inter respectively, they have taken a decisive looking step towards the knockout stages.
With Be’er Sheva at home to come on the final matchday after the trip to Sparta, it is hard to imagine that Saints won’t get the three points Puel believes they will require to ensure they get through.
Inter, without Frank De Boer, played in a more stereotypically Italian fashion, but Saints were at their best when they pressed high and didn’t worry too much about the counter attack.
They started like that, retreated in a poor spell midway through the first half, and then rectified it after the break with a superb second half rally to get the win.
That bright start saw a flurry of Saints attacking activity.
Dusan Tadic put in a ball from the right which Jay Rodriguez headed off target before the striker opened up his body and fired wide.
Rodriguez forced Samir Handanovic into a save on 12 minutes before Nathan Redmond threatened but couldn’t make the keeper work again.
However, it was Inter who took the lead on 33 minutes.
It was sloppy from Saints as Inter got the ball out to the right, Virgil van Dijk stepped out to try and challenge Danilo D’Ambrosio but didn’t do so convincingly, allowing Antonio Candreva the chance to fire in a cross from the right by-line.
It got to Ivan Perisic at the far post whose shot was blocked by Cuco Martina, but the right back was unable to properly clear and Mauro Icardi drilled home low past Fraser Forster at the near post.
The half really came to life in stoppage time as Saints were awarded a very dubious looking penalty as Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s flicked ball into the area hit the underside of Perisic’s arm.
In the resulting arguments Candreva clearly connected an elbow with the face of Sam McQueen, who had steamed in to try and stop the penalty spot being scuffed up by Inter. Somehow the referee deemed it a yellow card offence.
It was a tale of incompetence that with so many officials around the goal they got the penalty decision wrong, the yellow card wrong and continually missed Inter’s man handling when defending corners with van Dijk regularly wrestled down by Andrea Ranocchia.
To add insult to injury Tadic took a woeful penalty that was pretty much straight down the middle and Handanovic blocked it with his legs.
The whole affair did Saints a favour though as they came out for the second half fired up.
James Ward-Prowse forced two stops from Handanovic with long range drives before five minutes which changed the match.
After van Dijk’s header from Tadic’s corner had been spectacularly turned over the bar by Handanovic, the Dutchman levelled things up on 64 minutes.
Oriol Romeu pounced on a loose ball from a half cleared corner to lift a lobbed shot against the crossbar and it was van Dijk who reacted first to turn home from close range.
Saints were suddenly flying, pouring forward at every opportunity, and scored a bizarre goal to take the lead five minutes later.
Tadic’s left wing cross took a deflection but Yuto Nagatomo looked to have the situation under control at the far post.
However, he didn’t move nearly quickly enough and it cost his team dearly as the ball deflected up off his thigh at an odd angle and looped into his own net.
It destroyed Inter mentally, and they never looked like getting back into it, while Saints were buoyed and not about to let the three points slip.
Icardi did force Forster into one save, but that was about it as Saints beat Inter Milan in Southampton.
Once again, Saints beat Inter Milan in Southampton.
Now that really is something to reflect on.
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