Inter-Viktoria Plzen 4-0, the Nerazzurri within the second spherical

THE MATCH
Victory needed to be and victory was. To Inzaghi’s credit score, Inter didn’t fall into Viktoria’s entice and earned their first purpose of the season. A hit that additionally offers new life to the championship, the place the Nerazzurri will lastly have yet another weapon, Romelu Lukaku, dealing with Naples and Milan. The magical night at San Siro chases away the ghosts of some years in the past, when the Champions League final 16 light away proper in entrance of this excellent crowd that supported the gamers from begin to end final minute It was identified that towards the Czechs it was the traditional problem to unlock as rapidly as potential to have the ability to put it downhill, it took greater than half an hour however after Mkhitaryan’s purpose there was not a sport with the technical superiority of the hosts who they’re overwhelmed particularly within the second half.

Inzaghi chooses Acerbi as a substitute of De Vrij within the middle of defence, Dimarco is the excessive left winger with the attacking pair Dzeko-Lautaro Martínez. Lukaku on the bench for the primary time since his damage on August 28. Belik switches to a three-man protection and chooses Bassey as a ahead as a substitute of the enormous Chory. The stakes for the Nerazzurri are excessive and the nervousness is seen, with just a few errors within the performs and a not very fluid sport, additionally because of a Viktoria that solely thinks about defending itself and does it with a sure order, retaining the strains very shut and leaving only a few areas. Farris, who replaces the suspended Inzaghi, preaches order and calm, even when the minutes cross and Stanek is just not in an excessive amount of hazard. Not less than till the twenty fourth minute, when the Czech keeper saves with an open arm on the conclusion of some Dimarco after which repeats with a header from Mkhitaryan. The visitor wall is beginning to present the primary lotions and crackling loudly. Dzeko fails to capitalize on Dimarco’s umpteenth drop, failing to search out the purpose on the close to publish from just a few steps (32′) and two minutes later Hejda responds on the fly to Lautaro’s flip. The purpose is within the air and within the thirty fifth minute Viktoria capitulates: Bastoni goes deep and places it within the space, Mkhitaryan comes out from behind Dzeko and beats Stanek with a header within the nook. The Armenian, already decisive 4 days in the past in Florence, repeats and confirms the good second of kind. The purpose achieved definitively unlocks Inter, which leaves behind fears and ghosts of the previous. So, earlier than the break, the deserved double arrives: Barella’s splendid throw for Dimarco, stopped on the run and the ball within the space for Dzeko’s profitable tap-in (42′).

Belik leaves Jirka and Bassey within the dressing room and Holik and Chory enter. The Czechs have a begin at the beginning of the second half, however by now the inertia is all on the facet of Inter and there may be actually no story within the second half. The publish within the fifty fifth minute denies Mkhitaryan an encore, then Stanek pushes previous Lautaro exterior (57′). The third purpose is within the air and Dzeko scores it once more with a low and correct shot with an help from Toro. That is how the credit of the match fall, however there may be nonetheless time for essentially the most awaited return: Lukaku enters the sphere within the 83rd minute and it solely takes 4′ to depart his mark on the sport, a left diagonal that explodes San Siro. There could not be a greater comeback and the Nerazzurri standard occasion can start.

NEWS
Dzeko 8 – The 2 targets are simply the icing on the cake of a complete check, as a firefighter, as an offensive midfielder and all the time on the service of the workforce. These of Viktoria, to whom he has scored 12 targets in his profession, hope to not cross his path once more.
Mkhitaryan 7.5 – Hero on the Franchi for the purpose within the ninety fifth minute, the Armenian additionally repeats tonight, unlocking a sport that risked getting difficult. Within the second half solely the pole denied him the double. In overflowing kind.
Tuesday 7.5 – He reacts like a champion to the dangerous check in Florence with a race of nice high quality and amount. On the left is an inexhaustible scooter and offers assists and performs. inexhaustible
Bunk mattress 7 – Profession and dedication on the service of the workforce, diverse all through the sphere and all the time on the middle of the motion. Applause for Dimarco’s lance for the help on the second purpose.
Lukaku 6.5 – He returns after two months and it solely takes 4′ to depart his mark demolishing the San Siro stadium to the delight of the followers.

Stanek 6.5 – Take 4 targets and keep away from at the very least that many. It’s the better of his, a transparent indication of the inconsistent check of his friends.

THE TABLE
INTER-VICTORIA PLZEN 4-0
Inter (3-5-2): Onana 6; Skriniar 6.5, Unripe 6.5, Sticks 7; Dumfries 6, Barella 7, Calhanoglu 6.5 (26’st Asllani 6), Mkhitaryan 7.5 (38’st Gagliardini sv), Dimarco (32’st Gosens 7.5); Dzeko 8 (twenty sixth Correa 6), Lautaro Martinez 6.5 (thirty eighth Lukaku 6.5). A disp.: Handanovic, Cordaz, De Vrij, Bellanova, D’Ambrosio, Darmian. all: Farris (Inzaghi suspended)
Viktoria Plzen (3-4-2-1): Stanek 6.5; Hejda 5, Pernica 5, Tijani 5 (7′ st Jemelka 5.5); Havel 5, Bucha 5, Kalvach 5.5 (25′ st Ndiaye 5.5), Mosquera 5; Jirka 5 (1′ st Holik 5), Vlkanova 5.5 (39′ st Pilar sv); Bassey 5 (1’st Chory 5). A disp.: Trvdon, Jedlicka, Cermak. all: buy 5
referee: Ekberg (Sweden)
markers: 35′ Mkhitaryan (I), 42′ and 21′ St Dzeko (I), 42′ St Lukaku (I)
Ammonites: Flycatcher (V), Pernica (V)
Kicked out:
be aware:

THE STATISTICS
Simone Inzaghi is the primary coach able to taking Inter to the final 16 of the Champions League in two consecutive seasons since José Mourinho (2008/09 and 2009/10).

Inter have received a Champions League sport by at the very least three targets for the primary time since September 2010 (4-0 towards Werder Bremen).

Solely Cristiano Ronaldo (12) has scored extra Champions League targets after turning 35 than Edin Dzeko (six – overtaking Didier Drogba with 5).

Edin Dzeko has all the time scored in all 5 Champions League video games towards Viktoria Plzen, scoring eight targets (29% of his UCL targets), at the very least 5 greater than towards some other workforce.

Solely Cristiano Ronaldo (10 towards Juventus; 9 towards Ajax and Bayern) and Lionel Messi (9 towards Arsenal) have scored extra targets towards a single opponent than Edin Dzeko towards Viktoria Plzen (8) within the Champions League.

Dzeko’s Champions League targets are actually six with Inter, making him the second workforce the Bosnian has scored most targets for within the competitors (15 Roma, 6 Inter, 4 Wolfsburg, 3 Man Metropolis).

Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s six Champions League targets got here with 4 completely different groups (Shakhtar Donetsk, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United and Inter Milan); solely Zlatan Ibrahimović (6) and Hernán Crespo (5) have scored extra for various groups within the competitors.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan has discovered the Champions League purpose he has been lacking for 1,855 days – the final on 27 September 2017, in a Manchester United shirt towards CSKA Moscow.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan has discovered the again of the online in two consecutive appearances in all competitions for the primary time since Might 2021 (4 on that event for Roma).

Romelu Lukaku has now scored 16 targets within the Champions League, equaling Dries Mertens as Belgium’s prime scorer within the competitors.

Nicolò Barella performed his one hundred and fiftieth sport as we speak within the Inter shirt in all competitions; for Joaquín Correa it was the fiftieth.