REPORT: CL - Inter 1 - 0 Rangers

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Champions League Gp H - 28/9/05 (19.45)


Pizarro 49 (I)


San Siro

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Julio Cruz fired his penalty on to the frame of the goal, but a David Pizarro free kick gave Inter a hard-fought win over Glasgow Rangers.

Glasgow Rangers were welcomed into an empty Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, as Inter are forced to play all their Group games behind closed doors due to last year's fan trouble in the quarter-final. Juan Sebastian Veron was suspended, so David Pizarro was given a rare start in midfield. Adriano and Dejan Stankovic were rested ahead of Sunday's Serie A showdown with Juventus, so Julio Cruz and Obafemi Martins were the strike partners.

This was the fifth official meeting between the two clubs and before tonight both teams had always won on home turf. Rangers had never won on Italian turf.

Inter thought they'd opened the scoring after three minutes when Martins redirected a Luis Figo free kick, but the goal was disallowed for offside. It was a debatable decision.

A Santiago Solari effort was saved by Ronald Waterreus, then Lovenkrands turned Namouchi's cross over the bar after sneaking into the box unmarked.

Martins and Solari had shots charged down before Cruz drilled wide, while Julio Cesar controlled a long-range Namouchi attempt. Martins trapped the ball with his right foot and shot with his right to earn a corner kick after Cruz had held up the ball with his chest.

Buffel ran into the box on Ferguson's pass only to fire his left-foot effort off target.

Inter had the perfect opportunity to break the deadlock on 37 minutes when Waterreus brought down Cruz in the area. However, Julio Cruz fired his penalty straight on to the upright and Rangers held on to the goalless scoreline.

Martins struck the side-netting from the edge of the box and Figo's diving header on a cross from his former Real Madrid teammate was charged down by Bernard, as Inter continued to dominate without opening the scoring.

The deadlock was finally broken after the restart, as David Pizarro netted his first goal in an Inter jersey. The former Udinese man, who hadn't scored at all in 2005, curled in a free kick to beat Waterreus with a little help from a deflection off the defensive wall.

There was bad news for the Nerazzurri when Martins pulled up clutching his left thigh and he made way for Alvaro Recoba.

Esteban Cambiasso unleashed a powerful strike from the edge of the box that was charged down by Kyrgiakos. Rangers also had a decent chance, as Bernard's corner kick came out to Dado Prso, who was unable to turn in the loose ball.

One of Recoba's long-range attempts was smothered by Waterreus, but Inter really should've been 2-0 up on 73 minutes. Cambiasso and Recoba combined for Solari, who incredibly blazed wide of a completely open goal, as the 'keeper had already been left behind. The Argentine's first touch let him down and he somehow failed to tap into an empty net under no pressure.

Cruz came sliding on to Recoba's cross, but under pressure from Bernard failed to get his finish on target. In stoppages, Cruz tried to go round the goalkeeper, but Waterreus recovered to cut out the chance.


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Inter: Julio Cesar; Cordoba, Materazzi, Samuel, Wome; Figo (Ze Maria 75), Pizarro, Cambiasso, Solari (Kily Gonzalez 84); Cruz, Martins (Recoba 60)

Rangers: Waterreus; Ricksen, Rodriguez, Kyrgiakos, Bernard; Namouchi (Thompson 90), Ferguson, Murray (Nieto 84), Lovenkrands, Buffel (Jeffers 78); Prso

Ref: Vassaras (Gre)

Missed penalty: Cruz 37 (I)

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Inter wasted some glorious opportunities in their slender win over Rangers and Roberto Mancini warns they can’t keep making these mistakes.

“Apart from the difficult start where we ran a few risks, we hardly allowed Rangers a chance in the second half,” he said of the 1-0 victory. “The real problem is that we again missed some incredible chances and in the future if we keep wasting them then our opponents will end up netting against the run of play.”


Julio Cruz fired his penalty on to the upright, but perhaps an even worse mistake was made by Santiago Solari in the second half. The former Real Madrid man was put clear in front of an empty net and with the goalkeeper behind him, but somehow managed to blaze wide.


“It’s impossible to miss an open goal,” sighed Mancini as he watched the replay. “I know he was tired, but you can’t miss that and we’re fortunate it went well in the end. I spoke to him and he felt insecure at hitting it first time, but his first touch let him down. As for the penalty, Julio usually scores good penalties, so he was just a little bit unlucky. These things can happen.”


The decisive goal turned Lady Luck Inter’s way, as David Pizarro’s free kick took a touch off Dado Prso’s foot.


“Pizarro was fortunate in that his shot took a deflection off the defensive wall and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way.”


Inter have not conceded at the San Siro for over 700 minutes of football and seem to have finally resolved their defensive problems from last season.


“I think the whole team is playing very well and not just the defence, which is why we aren’t conceding as many goals.”


The Nerazzurri now face the Derby d’Italia on Sunday evening, as second take on first in the Serie A standings.


“Juve’s performance against Rapid Vienna was a little bit like ours, as they also scored a goal and then wasted lots of chances which left them tense until the end. I think Sunday’s game will be important, as a victory would give us a great deal in terms of results and confidence, but it won’t be decisive.”