Perfect Champions League night for Inter against Feyenoord

In the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg against Feyenoord with, Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez goals.

The Nerazurri got the win despite a saved Piotr Zielinski penalty to ease pressure ahead of their return leg at the San Siro next Tuesday.

Feyenoord made a lively start and called backup keeper Josep Martinez into action with a tough save in the opening three minutes on Ibrahim Osman’s low drive at the near post. 

Inter also responded as Francesco Acerbi tested Timon Wellenreuther with a chest and volley.

After half an hour, Inter went ahead with their first genuine chance, a sensational Thuram acrobatic flick off the outside of the right boot at the far post on Nicolò Barella’s cross from the right, going into the top corner.

In first-half stoppages, Wellenreuther got down to palm the Lautaro Martinez curler around the base of the far stick from the edge of the area, and the goalie fingertipped a Kristjan Asllani free-kick over the bar.

Inter made it two after the restart as Lautaro Martinez scored his sixth goal of the competition. Bastoni cut inside a defender to pull back for Piotr Zielinski, whose shot was charged down, but then laid off the rebound for the skipper, who smashed the ball into the roof of the net.

Feyenoord almost got a lifeline when Osman’s cross from the left volleyed to clip the top of the crossbar by Jakub Moder.

Inter were awarded a penalty following a VAR On-Field Review, as Jeyland Mitchell clipped the back of Thuram’s heel. Zielinski stepped up, but his spot-kick was saved by Wellenreuther at the near bottom corner.

Dumfries almost made it three when he slashed an angled drive just wide of the far post.

 Osman was booked for a foul on Dumfries, which suspended him for the second leg at San Siro. Mitchell, who was not booked for the penalty, was lucky not to be sent off for a mistimed tackle in stoppages for scything into Bastoni.