INTER beat Bayern Munich 2-0 because they have much better players.
Ribery would not have made much difference. If Ribery had not been suspended, Inter might have won 1-0 rather than 2-0.
Having lowered my expectations to a sensible level, I really enjoyed the match and my evening. We went round to a friend’s house and had dinner and then Doug and I went upstairs at 7.40 to watch the match.
32 minutes into the action, Kate and Jan came up to join us, bringing a tea tray. So they sat down just in time to see the Diego Milito goal in 35 minutes. And what a tremendous goal it was.
It made me laugh because it was almost rope-a-dope. Inter let Bayern have the ball for 35 minutes and Bayern forced a back pass and Julio Cesar kicked the ball 60 yards with his left foot and Milito nodded down to Sneijder, who played a slice-rule pass back to Milito, who finished with a feint and a shot as clinical as any you will see in the World Cup.
Milito foxed the keeper and slotted beautifully.
It was a good battle at times in the second half but Inter contained Bayern’s attacks and eventually Milito turned Van Buyten inside out and made it 2-0 in 70. Another excellent goal.
Inter have the finest defence in world football. Three monsters and a big cat in goal. Plus two holding midfielders.
Lucio, Samuel and Maicon are the monsters and Julio Cesar is the big cat. Brazil’s keeper is phenomenally agile, concentrates well, and has great hands.
PREDICTION : The team that wins the World Cup will be the team that plays most like Inter.
The two World Cup coaches who are most like Mourinho are Capello and Dunga.
Having said here that you should never bet against the Germans, I could not see how Bayern could win. So I backed Inter before we went out at 6pm, without knowing the line-ups.