Danilo D’Ambrosio gave Inter a precious 1-0 Europa League victory away to 10-man Dnipro.
Elsewhere in Group F, Qarabag held St. Etienne to a 0-0 draw, so Inter are already two points clear at the top.
Danilo D’Ambrosio gave Inter a precious 1-0 Europa League victory away to 10-man Dnipro.
Elsewhere in Group F, Qarabag held St. Etienne to a 0-0 draw, so Inter are already two points clear at the top.
The Nerazzurri made numerous changes for the opening Group F fixture, which was moved to Kiev due to the unstable political situation in Dnipropetrovsk. Mateo Kovacic was injured and Gary Medel suspended, but Fredy Guarin was given a new more advanced role and the captain’s armband. Matheus missed out for the hosts, but Roman Zozulya and Ruslan Rotan shook off knocks to start.
Hernanes gave away possession for a dangerous counter-attack, but Artem Fedetskiy’s strike was deflected wide by Dodo. Zozulya was booked for an elbow that left Yann M’Vila with a cut to the head.
Zdravko Kuzmanovic long-range efforts were charged down and his header whistled just over.
Inter had penalty appeals on the stroke of half-time, as Guarin’s cross for Mauro Icardi appeared to hit ex-Fiorentina defender Ondrej Mazuch on the arm, but the referee waved play on.
Guarin should’ve scored after the restart when he ran on to a Hernanes pass, but the Colombia international ballooned his finish over the bar.
There was an even better chance, but Danilo D’Ambrosio fired at the goalkeeper from point-blank range and Denis Boyko recovered to beat away the Mauro Icardi follow-up too.
Yevhen Konoplyanka unleashed a screamer that skimmed the upright with Handanovic seemingly beaten, but Dnipro went down to 10 men for captain Rotan’s second bookable offence on Guarin.
Inter took full advantage, breaking the deadlock soon after with D’Ambrosio pouncing on a poor Fedetskiy clearance to nutmeg Boyko.
Nemanja Vidic fired wide, Guarin forced a save out of Boyko from distance and Icardi wasted a late counter-attack.
Dnipro 0-1 Inter
Scorers: D’Ambrosio 70 (I)
Dnipro: Boyko; Fedetskiy, Mazuch, Douglas, Strinic; Rotan, Kankava, Kravchenko (Shakhov 67) (Luchkevych 74); Bruno Gama, Konoplyanka; Zozulya (Kalinic 79)
Inter: Handanovic; Campagnaro, Vidic, Juan Jesus; D’Ambrosio, Hernanes (Jonathan 76), M’Vila, Kuzmanovic (Osvaldo 62), Dodò; Guarin; Icardi
Ref: Zwayer (GER)
Sent off: Rotan 68 (D)