Inter battle past Chievo

Inter Milan put their shock home defeat to Siena behind them with a battling 2-0 victory over struggling Chievo.

Inter Milan put their shock home defeat to Siena behind them with a battling 2-0 victory over struggling Chievo. Alvaro Pereira put Inter ahead just before the break and substitute Antonio Cassano doubled the lead 16 minutes from time as Inter bounced back from their 2-0 San Siro loss to bottom-placed Siena on Sunday. The victory is Inter's third of the season and lifts them into the top four, while Chievo have now lost four successive matches since an opening day win over Bologna and they remain rooted near the foot of the standings. It was the home side who actually looked the more threatening early on, though, with Bostjan Cesar seeing his header saved by Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic before David Di Michele fired over and Sergio Pellissier saw an effort go inches wide. Inter finally gave their opponents something to worry about in the 35th minute when Fredy Guarin fired just wide, and seven minutes later the visitors made the breakthrough. Yuto Nagatomo burst into the area and his attempted shot deflected off a Chievo defender before finding its way through to Pereira, who slotted home from close range with the home side wondering if he had strayed offside. Despite that setback, Chievo started well once more in the second half and Di Michele shot wide before Pellissier drew a fine save out of Handanovic with a drilled shot from the edge of the box. Handanovic also denied Marco Rigoni in the 62nd minute before Inter spurned a gilt-edged chance moments later when Cassano failed to turn in an easy finish from Diego Milito's ball in. Cassano, who replaced Wesley Sneijder in the first half, made amends for that miss 11 minutes later as he made it 2-0 with a clinical finish after beating two defenders. That did still not kill off Chievo, though, and the hosts almost pulled a goal back in the 82nd minute when Rinaldo Cruzado hit the post with a superb curling free-kick. Chievo did not come any closer, however, as Inter held on for a much-wanted triumph.