Benitez blames finishing for Inter Milan defeat

Frustrated coach Rafael Benitez blamed wasteful finishing for Internazionale's first defeat of the Serie A season at the hands of AS Roma.

Inter lost 1-0 at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday evening following a stoppage-time header from Mirko Vucinic.

"I think we should have had more intensity at the end of the game, we shouldn't have let them cross," explained Benitez.

"But the problem isn't the goal at the end, it's that we had 15 shots on goal and should have scored before.

"We had many scoring chances but we didn't score.

"There's no lack of quality alternatives in attack. Players like (Diego) Milito, (Samuel) Eto'o, (Goran) Pandev and Coutinho aren't easy to find.

"Now we have to analyse why we didn't score and why we were a bit weak in defence."

Meanwhile, Claudio Ranieri believes AS Roma are far from 'healed' despite their morale-boosting victory.

"We got some medicine tonight, but we are still not healed," he said after Roma’s first win of a below-par domestic season.

"A victory over Inter is always good for the team. The team found itself and this was a great performance by all."

Ranieri also played down captain Francesco Totti's angry reaction to being replaced by eventual match-winner Vucinic.

Totti walked straight down the tunnel, but Ranieri explained: "I was aware that Francesco had fought like a lion but it was an important move.

"These are the moments that can make a coach. I wanted to introduce Mirko because he can create problems with his speed and I saw that Lucio was not well.

"It is normal that a player feels bad after being replaced, but with a cool head tomorrow, he will be much calmer."