Inter survived an early scare to sweep Union Saint-Gilloise aside 4-0 in Belgium, maintaining a perfect Champions League record including the first Francesco Pio Esposito goal.
The Nerazzurri came into this game after six consecutive victories in all competition, including European wins over Ajax and Slavia Praha. Marcus Thuram, Matteo Darmian and Raffaele Di Gennaro were still out of action, but Cristian Chivu rotated with Francesco Pio Esposito, Davide Frattesi, Piotr Zielinski, Carlos Augusto, Yann Bisseck and Stefan de Vrij stepping in. Union Saint-Gilloise saw coach Sebastien Pocognoli poached by AS Monaco this month, so David Hubert only made his debut at the weekend. They had won 3-1 away to PSV Eindhoven on their Champions League debut, then lost 4-0 to Newcastle United.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
It was an extraordinary start for the hosts, who had four big chances in the opening four minutes. First Promise David shrugged off De Vrij and Bisseck to force a tough save out of Yann Sommer at the near post.
On the resulting corner, Lautaro Martinez performed a desperate goal-line clearance on Christian Burgess, then Sommer flew to fingertip the Mathias Rasmussen follow-up over the bar. The next corner ended with Kamiel Van De Perre drilling just wide.
Pio Esposito came sliding in to meet a Lautaro Martinez ball across from the left, but it bobbled slightly and he couldn’t connect, then Frattesi volleyed wide at the back post.
Hakan Calhanoglu stung the goalkeeper’s gloves from distance, then Pio Esposito nodded his corner over from six yards.
Lautaro Martinez forced a big save from the goalkeeper at the near post, but Inter scored on the resulting corner when Yann Bisseck’s header was deflected into the path of Denzel Dumfries to volley in from six yards.
Lautaro Martinez should’ve made it 2-0 moments later when one-on-one, but stumbled during a shimmy and allowed Kjell Scherpen to smother at his feet.
Inter did manage to double their lead with a well-worked team move before half-time, as Dumfries gathered a long Alessandro Bastoni ball, rolled it across for Pio Esposito, who generously kept it going for Lautaro Martinez to sweep first time into the far top corner with the inside of the right boot.
Straight after the restart, Lautaro Martinez’s header was charged down by Mac Allister’s fingertips with an arm straight up over his head. Following the VAR review, Calhanoglu converted the penalty for 3-0.
Pio Esposito should’ve had his first Champions League goal when Dumfries pulled back from the by-line, but the 20-year-old somehow scuffed the finish wide from six yards.
Frattesi forced a save after going clear on a Petar Sucic through ball, but Esposito did finally get his goal when sliding in to meet the Ange-Yoan Bonny pull-back from the left by-line.
Union SG 0-4 Inter
Dumfries 41 (I), Lautaro Martinez 45 (I), Calhanoglu pen 53 (I), Esposito 76 (I)
Player statistic
| 31' |  |
Stefan de Vrij | ||
| 41' |  |
Denzel Dumfries (Assist: Yann Bisseck) | ||
| 45+1' | |
Lautaro Martínez (Assist: Pio Esposito) |
| 53' |  |
Hakan Calhanoglu | ||
| 76' | |
Pio Esposito (Assist: Ange-Yoan Bonny) | ||
| Rob Schoofs | |
88' |
Match statistic
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