Post by Taxigirl on Aug 11, 2005 7:59:29 GMT
www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/aug10k.html
The Nerazzurri are well on the way to qualifying for the Champions League after Oba Martins and Adriano sealed a 2-0 victory in the Ukraine.
Roberto Mancini was happy with the overall performance, especially against a side that has already played and won five domestic League matches this season.
“This was never going to be an easy game and we struggled in the first half, but as time wore on the team improved and that is a good sign,” said the Coach.
“Tonight both strikers did well and they are both extraordinary young players. Adriano and Martins are still young and have room for improvement, but they are excellent. The important thing is to maintain the same team spirit I saw tonight, as that is far more important than any tactical system.”
Luis Figo is not eligible to play in this round, while Walter Samuel’s fitness levels are not up to the task yet, but Coach Roberto Mancini surprisingly opted for Julio Cesar in goal rather than Francesco Toldo.
The home side had a strong start, as within the opening minute Giuseppe Favalli had to clear from Blumer Elano’s wayward free header, then Brandao wasted another golden opportunity from Francelino Matuzalem’s cross.
The former Parma and Brescia midfielder was not the only familiar face to Serie A, as Shakhtar boss Mircea Lucescu had a brief and unsuccessful spell on the Inter bench.
There was controversy on 19 minutes when the referee waved away penalty appeals. Obafemi Martins fell under pressure from behind, then the ball rolled out to Dejan Stankovic only for him to fall over the goalkeeper’s legs.
Moments later, Inter created another great scoring opportunity when Stankovic sent Martins running, but the shot with the outside of his foot was off target. The Nerazzurri grew in their influence towards half-time and first Adriano’s free kick was only parried, then Esteban Cambiasso was at full stretch to test Jan Lastuvka around the six-yard box.
They couldn’t have gone closer than at the 40th minute, when Marco Materazzi rose to head a Juan Sebastian Veron corner kick and it was deflected on to the crossbar by an Igor Dujlaj goalline clearance.
Mancini’s first substitution came on the hour mark, as Ze Maria replaced the disappointing Santiago Solari on the left flank.
Just a few minutes later Inter broke the deadlock in fine fashion. Adriano’s backheel extended a Stankovic pass for Martins, who toe-poked the ball round a defender and past the helpless goalkeeper.
Moments later, the young Nigerian nearly bagged a second in similar style, but this time Lastuvka was ready for him.
Shakhtar fought back and Brandao tried to turn between a crowd of players, but fell under pressure from Veron and the referee again waved away penalty appeals. Former Udinese midfielder David Pizarro came on for Veron in the final 15 minutes and made an immediate impact.
Within seconds he had started a move that eventually saw Adriano rise to nod in Ze Maria’s looping cross as Inter doubled their lead in Donetsk.
It should really have been 3-0, but Esteban Cambiasso rolled Adriano's pass wide with only the goalkeeper to beat. In the final minute, Adriano and Martins had shots charged down.
The second leg of this preliminary round tie will be at the San Siro on August 24, but it will be behind closed doors as Inter begin their ban for crowd trouble in last season’s Milan derby.
Shakhtar 0-2 Inter
Scorers: Martins 67 (I), Adriano 77 (I)
Shakhtar Donetsk: Lastuvka; Srna, Barcauan, Hubschman, Rat; Duljaj (Fernandinho 70), Matuzalem, Tymoshchunk, Elano (Jadson 58); Byelik (Marica 72), Brandao
Inter: Julio Cesar; J Zanetti, Cordoba, Materazzi, Favalli; Stankovic, Veron (Pizarro 76), Cambiasso, Solari (Ze Maria 64); Adriano, Martins
Ref: Hamer (Lux)
The Nerazzurri are well on the way to qualifying for the Champions League after Oba Martins and Adriano sealed a 2-0 victory in the Ukraine.
Roberto Mancini was happy with the overall performance, especially against a side that has already played and won five domestic League matches this season.
“This was never going to be an easy game and we struggled in the first half, but as time wore on the team improved and that is a good sign,” said the Coach.
“Tonight both strikers did well and they are both extraordinary young players. Adriano and Martins are still young and have room for improvement, but they are excellent. The important thing is to maintain the same team spirit I saw tonight, as that is far more important than any tactical system.”
Luis Figo is not eligible to play in this round, while Walter Samuel’s fitness levels are not up to the task yet, but Coach Roberto Mancini surprisingly opted for Julio Cesar in goal rather than Francesco Toldo.
The home side had a strong start, as within the opening minute Giuseppe Favalli had to clear from Blumer Elano’s wayward free header, then Brandao wasted another golden opportunity from Francelino Matuzalem’s cross.
The former Parma and Brescia midfielder was not the only familiar face to Serie A, as Shakhtar boss Mircea Lucescu had a brief and unsuccessful spell on the Inter bench.
There was controversy on 19 minutes when the referee waved away penalty appeals. Obafemi Martins fell under pressure from behind, then the ball rolled out to Dejan Stankovic only for him to fall over the goalkeeper’s legs.
Moments later, Inter created another great scoring opportunity when Stankovic sent Martins running, but the shot with the outside of his foot was off target. The Nerazzurri grew in their influence towards half-time and first Adriano’s free kick was only parried, then Esteban Cambiasso was at full stretch to test Jan Lastuvka around the six-yard box.
They couldn’t have gone closer than at the 40th minute, when Marco Materazzi rose to head a Juan Sebastian Veron corner kick and it was deflected on to the crossbar by an Igor Dujlaj goalline clearance.
Mancini’s first substitution came on the hour mark, as Ze Maria replaced the disappointing Santiago Solari on the left flank.
Just a few minutes later Inter broke the deadlock in fine fashion. Adriano’s backheel extended a Stankovic pass for Martins, who toe-poked the ball round a defender and past the helpless goalkeeper.
Moments later, the young Nigerian nearly bagged a second in similar style, but this time Lastuvka was ready for him.
Shakhtar fought back and Brandao tried to turn between a crowd of players, but fell under pressure from Veron and the referee again waved away penalty appeals. Former Udinese midfielder David Pizarro came on for Veron in the final 15 minutes and made an immediate impact.
Within seconds he had started a move that eventually saw Adriano rise to nod in Ze Maria’s looping cross as Inter doubled their lead in Donetsk.
It should really have been 3-0, but Esteban Cambiasso rolled Adriano's pass wide with only the goalkeeper to beat. In the final minute, Adriano and Martins had shots charged down.
The second leg of this preliminary round tie will be at the San Siro on August 24, but it will be behind closed doors as Inter begin their ban for crowd trouble in last season’s Milan derby.
Shakhtar 0-2 Inter
Scorers: Martins 67 (I), Adriano 77 (I)
Shakhtar Donetsk: Lastuvka; Srna, Barcauan, Hubschman, Rat; Duljaj (Fernandinho 70), Matuzalem, Tymoshchunk, Elano (Jadson 58); Byelik (Marica 72), Brandao
Inter: Julio Cesar; J Zanetti, Cordoba, Materazzi, Favalli; Stankovic, Veron (Pizarro 76), Cambiasso, Solari (Ze Maria 64); Adriano, Martins
Ref: Hamer (Lux)