A first half strike from Jean-Kevin Augustin condemned Inter to a 1-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in Qatar.
The Nerazzurri took on Laurent Blanc’s side in a winter friendly in Qatar, with Andrea Ranocchia given a start in central defence.
There was no place for captain Mauro Icardi, even on the bench, with Stevan Jovetic leading the line, supported by Ivan Perisic, Adem Ljajic and Jonathan Biabiany.
A first half strike from Jean-Kevin Augustin condemned Inter to a 1-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in Qatar.
The Nerazzurri took on Laurent Blanc’s side in a winter friendly in Qatar, with Andrea Ranocchia given a start in central defence.
There was no place for captain Mauro Icardi, even on the bench, with Stevan Jovetic leading the line, supported by Ivan Perisic, Adem Ljajic and Jonathan Biabiany.
The French champions almost opened the scoring with just a minute on the clock, Verratti’s raking pass finding Jean-Kevin Augustin, but the 18-year-old lashed his effort over the bar.
Blaise Matuidi was next to try his luck, but his shot was comfortably saved by Samir Handanovic after Ibrahimovic had sent him away with a sumptuous backheel.
The Swede stung the fingers of Handanovic with 13 minutes played, but the Nerazzurri ‘keeper did well to tip his fierce left-footed shot over the bar.
Martin Montoya should have broken the deadlock at the other end. Jovetic played the full-back clear on goal, but his shot was a good height for Kevin Trapp, and the German parried it away.
Verratti came within inches of putting PSG ahead with half an hour played. Receiving a pass from Ibrahimovic, the Italian international danced away from Danilo D'Ambrosio, but his shot crashed off the underside of the bar.
With half-time looming, Verratti managed to squeeze the ball through to Augustin and the youngster raced clear and dispatched the it into the far corner.
Four minutes after the restart, Trapp pulled off a brilliant save to keep the scores level. Jovetic got free at the back post, but the German got across to beat his cushioned volley away.
With an hour on the clock, Augustin teed-up Adrien Rabiot, but the midfielder’s left-footed effort curled just over the crossbar.
Both sides made a raft of changes as the half wore on, with Nicolas Douchez rather than Salvatore Sirigu taking over in goal for the French side.
Layvin Kurzawa almost doubled his side’s lead with 20 minutes to play, but headed over the bar after getting onto the end of Serge Aurier’s whipped cross.
The amount of changes saw the game rather peter out, but Douchez had to be alert to tip Medel’s shot round the post with 10 minutes to play.
Inter 0-1 Paris Saint-Germain
Augustin 46 (P)
Inter: Handanovic (Carrizo, 45); Montoya (Nagatomo, 45), D’Ambrosio (Gravillon, 84), Ranocchia (Dimarco, 65), Santon (Baldini, 65); Brozovic (Gyamfi, 65), Kondogbia (Correia, 65); Perisic (Manaj, 60), Ljajic (Popa, 65), Biabiany (Medel, 45); Jovetic (Gnoukouri, 65)
Paris Saint-Germain: Trapp (Douchez, 65); Van der Wiel (Marquinhos, 45), Aurier (Maxwell, 76), Kimpembe, Kurzawa; Stambouli, Verratti (Nkunku, 65), Rabiot; Augustin, Ibrahimovic (Moura, 65), Matuidi (Ogenda, 65)