Inter fought back from a goal down to beat Dnipro 2-1, had Andrea Ranocchia sent off and Samir Handanovic saved a penalty.
Inter fought back from a goal down to beat Dnipro 2-1, had Andrea Ranocchia sent off and Samir Handanovic saved a penalty.
The Nerazzurri were four points clear at the top of their group, so a draw would secure qualification and victory first place. They had won 1-0 in Ukraine in September, but were fresh from two consecutive stalemates against Saint-Etienne. Absentees included Nemanja Vidic, Yann M’Vila, Danilo D’Ambrosio and Jonathan, while Mateo Kovacic and Rodrigo Palacio were rested. Roman Zozulya sat out a ban with the injured Oleksandr Mihunov.
It was a very special occasion for Roberto Mancini, as not only was this his Europa League debut on the Inter bench after a 1-1 Milan Derby draw on Sunday, but also his 50th birthday. Mancio was in the stands due to a European ban. The team wore black armbands and held a minute’s silence following the death of Aurelio Milani.
Dnipro warned beforehand they had nothing to lose and embraced that approach from the start. After almost pouncing on a poor Samir Handanovic clearance, the Ukrainians took the lead at San Siro with Ruslan Rotan. Handanovic was left one-on-one in a counter sparked by Juan Jesus' error, parrying a Yevhen Konoplyanka effort into the path of their captain.
Andrea Ranocchia was booked and risked a second yellow 120 seconds later for his tackle on Nikola Kalinic.
It was almost 2-0 when Fredy Guarin brought down Yevhen Cheberyachko. However, penalty specialist Handanovic came to the rescue again and saved Konoplyanka’s spot-kick.
It proved a pivotal moment, as Zdravko Kuzmanovic got Inter back on level terms straight after, rifling in from a poorly-cleared Hernanes set play.
Kravchenko tested Handanovic from distance and Yuto Nagatomo fired off target when sent clear on goal by Hernanes. The Japanese international hurt his shoulder in that move and had to be substituted. Douglas also failed to score from a free header.
Ranocchia had risked a second yellow in the first half and it arrived straight after the restart for his foul on Rotan.
However, it was 10-man Inter who took the lead moments later. Hernanes again provided the assist, this time for Daniel Osvaldo, who kept his cool when sent clear on goal.
It should’ve been 2-2 soon after, but Handanovic performed a stunning save on Kalinic and Juan Jesus cleared the follow-up off the line.
Hernanes charged down a Kravchenko attempt from a corner, but then went off with an apparent groin problem.
Rotan’s free kick skimmed the woodwork with Handanovic rooted to the spot, but the goalkeeper smothered at Konoplyanka’s feet. Seleznyov did get the ball in the net, but only after straying offside.
Inter 2-1 Dnipro
Scorers: Rotan 16 (D), Kuzmanovic 30 (I), Osvaldo 50 (I)
Inter: Handanovic; Nagatomo (Campagnaro 37), Juan Jesus, Ranocchia, Dodo; Guarin, Kuzmanovic, Medel; Hernanes (Obi 60); Osvaldo, Icardi (Andreolli 55)
Dnipro: Boyko; Fedetskiy (Matheus 70), Douglas, Mazuch (Seleznyov 82), Vlad; Kravchenko (Bruno Gama 73), Cheberyachko; Luchkevych, Rotan, Konoplyanka; N Kalinic
Ref: Madden (SCO)
Saved penalty: Konoplyanka 28 (D)
Sent off: Ranocchia 47 (I)