One point each and victory postponed. In fact, after 3′ of injury time, the match between Torino and Monza ends 1-1. It all happened in the second half, with Masina breaking the balance in the 59th minute to give the home team the lead, joined four minutes later by Djuric. Today was an important opportunity to try to get back up: Monza had lost the last three championship games without scoring, Torino was coming off six defeats in the last seven championship games. Appointment with the three points postponed, for both (reread the live text by TMW here).
The report of the first half
The first minutes of the game are characterized by Brianza, with Nesta’s team immediately proving to be lively, becoming dangerous with Maldini (after a few seconds) and with Pedro Pereira. On both occasions Milinkovic-Savic was ready. The grenade’s reaction arrives in the quarter of an hour, with Coco who heads the ball but finds a providential save from Pablo Mari a stone’s throw from the goal line. Second part of the first half of the game which then experiences flames on both sides, despite the pace being very high: Adams and Djuric try, then it’s Pedro Pereira again who risks mocking Milinkovic-Savic with a long cross, but the goalkeeper grenade (among the most active), is good at stretching and shaking. However, the balance was not broken and we went to half-time with the score locked at 0-0.
It all happens in the second half
The second half seems to start in the same vein as the first, with a pace that is not particularly high, but after a couple of good moves by Monza it is Torino who breaks the inertia of the match and takes the lead: on an inactive ball in the 59th minute it’s 1-0, from the cross from the flag Masina arrives in perfect time and, with his head, finds the net. Four minutes later came the immediate response from the guests, who re-established the balance with Djuric (again with the header). Carambola of substitutions on both sides in the final, but it is Torino who make themselves more dangerous with Gineitis, Njie and Ricci. However, Monza resists Torino’s forcing and the match ends in a draw. A 1-1 which brings a point each for Vanoli and Nesta, but which postpones the appointment with victory for both teams.
Vanoli’s words at the press conference: “There is regret, we wanted another result. The positive thing is that we looked for him at all costs, in some matches we missed him. And you also have to be careful that the joke doesn’t happen…Today I saw a pitch forward”.
Did the surreal atmosphere in the stadium affect you a bit?
“No, I’ve trained the players to be focused on the pitch. The fans have to support us, now they have to be even closer to us and I know they will.”
A judgment on Njie
“He was good at coming in like this, he has quality. Whoever came in gave more to try to win. He must live it with joy, he has a future but he must understand how to be a footballer.”
The fans cheered her…
“They have always been close to me, but I would like them to be close to the team that needs them. There are still six games left in the first round, we have to accelerate.”
Was there a lack of precision in your shots?
“When you go through these periods, you lack clarity. But whoever came in wanted to try to win. Even the moment leads you to be of little quality, you’re a bit frenetic. Lazaro was a bit too short to break through…Now we have another evolution compared to the beginning of the season. The important thing is to shoot, our players have quality.”
A comment on set goals: was Vlasic marking Djuric?
“It wasn’t studied, but we worked in the area. The second line had to be blocked, in which case the man in front of Vlasic could take it. Height makes the difference, but Vlasic did what he had to do.”
Again on Njie, he entered with a malice that whoever started the challenge didn’t have…
“He must not hold back, he must just have fun. I feel sorry when young people are attacked because they make mistakes, Njie must keep a smile on his face and must understand how to become a player. He has shown quality in one-on-one situations, he is a player who has different characteristics. There he helped us access it, he did well.”
How can Njie fit into a possible starting eleven?
“All the players in the squad can play from the first minute. Whether he starts or comes on, he must always give us this. He was good but Vojvoda also came on very well. We are working on new mechanisms and we have to work on them.”
How did you see Gineitis and Pedersen?
“I like Pedersen’s resourcefulness, he has the running characteristics of Bellanova and Vlasic sends him well into space. We did less well on the left, even Gineitis never found the space to attack. He and Ricci did better with the double midfielder, it’s a solution that can be thought of.”
Were you scared at the start of the first half?
“It comes from the period we are going through. When the results arrive you play with a free mind, now you would like to do and you are too frenetic. When you have a free head, you also score in the top corner…But these periods can only make us grow “.
Nesta’s words at the press conference: “Basically, going ahead is a plus for us because we have small and fast players. We have to score goals, then we could manage the game and the pace. We have to do more in those situations, we need it.”
Do you walk out with more confidence?
“The self-esteem, despite the last place, is there, and it has never taken a hit. Sometimes we deserved more, we are a tough team. We have to score more goals, we need a jab.”
On Mota and Maldini
“Mota played wider and Maldini more inside: Daniel should do more. Everything he does, they talk about for two days: he probably needs to manage this situation better, he’s a super boy and also shy but he needs to manage the pressure.”
What did you like and what didn’t you like?
“At the beginning we held the ball well, then in the second half we struggled a little more.”
Did you expect this Taurus?
“He was in trouble at the start and we had to hit, we lacked a bit of determination. In the end it bothered us.”
Why did Mota stay on the pitch for so long?
“He scores goals for us, he has the goal in his legs…I have to look for the goal, he keeps it until the end because he has the goals in his legs”.
Was today a kill game? And is it a Djuric-dependent team?
“In the first half we had to put it in the direction we want. He scored four goals, Maldini will also score and now he has to manage what happens to him. He has a formidable shot and talent to spare, but the path is not only technical but also mental. He has to learn to get criticism, he has to manage that and the talent will come out.”
Why do you rarely use exchange rates?
“They explained it to me recently, now I’ll learn how to make them…”.
How did you see Bianco and Bondo?
“Brilliant and strong, they are the heart of the team and give us speed and victory. They are both confident, they know they are important players.”