On 30 September 1997, in Neuchatel, Switzerland, the match between Xamax and Inter took place, valid for the first round of the UEFA Cup. It almost seems like a formality, given that two weeks earlier, at San Siro, Ronaldo had opened the ball, with the second scored – with an own goal – by defender Martin. The 2-0 at home was enough to classify the return match as calm. Even simpler after what happens in the twenty-sixth minute: after a triangle between Ganz and Sartor, the latter puts a ball on the far post, outside the target. Moriero, out of the way, turns and goes to get the ball very high, creating a perfect overhead kick that ends up at the far corner. It will end 0-2 for Inter with Ganz doubling the lead.
Here is the memory of Francesco Moriero, author of the extraordinary painting. “This is the best goal I scored with the Inter shirt, there was an exchange between Ganz and Sartor who then reached the back to put in a very strong and high cross. I remember that I had to change my posture in a few seconds to go and take this ball up to the sky. It was a wonderful goal, the gesture was fantastic, the execution, the embrace of my teammates, they were perhaps happier than me congratulations, Simoni and I looked at each other from afar, you could see he was very happy and he gave me a thumbs up.”
Neuchatel Xamax
Corminboeuf, Alicarte, Martin, Martinovic, Moret, Rothenbuhler, Perret, Boughanem, Wittl, Gigon, Sandjak.
Trainer: Gress.
Inter
Pagliuca, Galante, Bergomi, Sartor, Zanetti, Winter, Simeone, Djorkaeff, Moriero, Ganz, Ronaldo.
Trainer: Simoni.