Inter Milan scored two goals inside the final nine minutes to somehow grab victory on the opening night of the Champions League against visiting Tottenham.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side just about deserved their deflected opener just after the break when Christian Eriksen’s second attempt looped in.
Inter looked out of sorts and devoid of ideas, but Mauro Icardi’s sublime strike arrowed into Michel Vorm’s bottom right corner to wake the San Siro, and better was to come in stoppage time when Matias Vecino nodded in the winner.
Here is our report card from the clash.
30 SECOND-REPORT
Early in the second half, you simply could not see a winner emerging from this most uninspiring of games. It seemed as if both sides had tried in the first half but would have been content with an opening draw, in a difficult looking group.
Then, a fortuitous goal arrived for the visitors and seemed to suck the life out of the Nerrazzuri. Luciano Spalletti’s side looked limited to say the least in their initially tentative pursuit of a positive result – indeed it was only when they went more direct that they somehow turned the game on its head.
Icardi’s stunning winner was one of just 16 touches for the out of form frontman in the whole 90 minutes – 10 fewer than any other starting player. That finally awoke the dozing hosts and they unbelievably went on to get a somewhat unwarranted winner to put Spurs to sleep.
Che rimonta a San Siro! Bentornati in @ChampionsLeague, #InterFans! 😍👏
— Inter (@Inter) 18 September 2018
Rileggiamo qui il match report di #InterTottenham 👉 https://t.co/k2n823WoCa#ForzaInter #InterIsHere #UCL pic.twitter.com/gCY2Dfmhjo
THE GOOD
Christian Eriksen – Amid all the concern over Harry Kane’s fitness, magician Eriksen continues to conjure brilliance. In a poor game lacking in any great quality, what little was produced came from the destructive Dane. He tested Samir Handanovic with an early free-kick which stung the Slovenian’s fists. His sumptuous ball over the top to Kane really deserved a finish from the off-colour striker. He was unsurprisingly the deadlock breaker, even if his goal ironically owed a lot to luck. He’s a special player and Spurs might rely more heavily on him this season than any of his previous five.
Roma rebel – The beginning of the end at the Stadio Olipico for Radja Nainggolan may well have been his headline-grabbing Instagram antics on New Year’s Eve. The midfielder was dropped for the subsequent Serie A clash with Atalanta after sharing videos of himself smoking, drinking and swearing on social media. He was sold to Inter against his wishes in the summer, a period of misery compounded by his omission from Belgium’s World Cup squad. Here, he served a reminder of his enduring worth as a tenacious and talented footballer – bossing the middle of the park in an all-action performance.
THE BAD
Inter’s attacking – In a group of death containing last night’s opponents as well as PSV and giants Barcelona, a positive start in front of their home fans was vital. Instead, hosts Inter were lacklustre in the extreme – registering a miserly total of two shots on target prior to the 85th minute (two more in the ensuing 10 won them the game). It was all neat and tidy up until the final third – with Matteo Politano, Nainggolan and Ivan Perisic threading eight key passes between them. But Icardi cut a horribly isolated figure up front and not even his late wondergoal nor Vecino’s even later winner can deter from the fact the Nerazzurri lack any real identity under Spalletti.
Harry Kane – The Tottenham striker is now in a deep, deep malaise. And Spurs fans should be concerned. The England talisman’s Golden Boot heroics at the World Cup glossed over how fatigued he looked after a heavy workload last season. While Spurs shone in the embryonic stages of the new season, their talisman’s enduring woes in front of goal are proving to be a real millstone around their neck. The real problem? Following a chronic lack of investment over the last two years, manager Maurcio Pochettino cannot even afford to rest him right now.
FULL-TIME: A late comeback sees the hosts take the points at the San Siro as we fall to defeat in our opening game of the @ChampionsLeague. pic.twitter.com/Keb9Lhu96f
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) 18 September 2018
TACTICAL TURNING POINT
Perisic pulled – It seemed a strange move to haul off one of his most creative players, especially as the home side shrank into their shells and seemed shorn of any real ideas once falling behind. But for all Ivan Perisic’s silky skills and eye-catching link-up play, it was from a direct source which Inter found their equaliser and winner. Kwadwo Asamoah bombed down the left and hit a hopeful ball in rather than trying to intricately unlock Spurs, while that finally sparked the San Siro crowd into life and their team, with a hopeful punt into the box also leading to Vecino’s crucial winner.
VERDICTS
INTER MILAN: C+
It’s so hard to grade the hosts who got far more than what they deserved, after looking so uninspired and defeatist once they fell behind. But the players dug deep to rescue victory from the jaws of defeat, and they’ll now head to Holland with high hopes.
TOTTENHAM: D
They were the best of two pretty poor teams for the majority of this game. But after being in complete control going into the final 10 minutes, how they completely capitulated should worry Pochettino. Up next? Only the small matter of the visit of Barcelona.
