There was a distinctly end of season feel in the air at the BBBank Wildpark on Friday evening. A pre season friendly, a chance for the coaches to tink...
There was a distinctly end of season feel in the air at the BBBank Wildpark on Friday evening. A pre season friendly, a chance for the coaches to tinker and for the players to find their rhythm. But for Inter's Andy Diouf, the script was written for a protagonist. With the game drifting towards a draw and the Italian side's attacks looking more predictable than penetrative, the substitute stepped up to snatch a 2. 1 victory from the jaws of a stalemate.For long stretches, this was a contest that felt exactly like what it was: a fitness exercise. Karlsruhe, structured and disciplined in their low block, frustrated a Nerazzurri side that lacked the final pass in the final third. The German side weren't just parking the bus, they were making it difficult, forcing Inter into wide areas where the crosses were easily gobbled up. When Karlsruhe took the lead, you could almost hear the collective groan from the Inter bench, a reminder that pre season or not, losing has a sour taste.Then came the interjection of Andy Diouf. Thrown into the mixer with twenty minutes to go, the young Frenchman did not look like a player easing his way back into action. His movement was sharp, his first touch was clean, and in stoppage time, he produced two moments of clinical finishing that turned the entire complexion of the friendly. The first was a poacher's effort, a reaction to a parried shot inside a crowded box. The second was a thing of beauty; a driving run from midfield, a one. two on the edge of the area, and a low, driven finish that left the goalkeeper with no chance. Was it a glimpse of his potential Absolutely. For a side that sometimes can be guilty of overelaborating in possession, having a player willing to drive forward in transitional play with such purpose is a valuable asset.From a tactical perspective, this was a useful test for Simone Inzaghi. His side's build up play was commendable but their final product was lacking until Diouf's intervention. The comeback, however, showed a welcome dose of grit. It is the sort of character that will be needed when the real thing starts. For Karlsruhe, it was a harsh lesson in concentration. They had done so much right for 94 minutes only to watch a hard earned point evaporate in the dying embers of the game. As the final whistle blew, the Inter bench celebrated with the intensity of a Champions League knockout tie. That emotional investment in a July friendly tells you everything about the standards being set. And for Diouf, this was a statement performance. The question now is whether he can turn these late cameos into a starting berth.GoalZaza had the lowdown on a night where the late, late show stole the headlines. A fantastic, if slightly fortuitous, win that will do wonders for morale ahead of the new campaign.
