Inter went from the bottom of Group F to the top as they came from behind to beat Dynamo Kiev 2-1.
Late goals from Milito and Sneijder cancel out Shevchenco opener
Inter went from the bottom of Group F to the top in the space of three minutes as they came from behind to beat Dynamo Kiev 2-1 in the Ukraine.
Andriy Shevchenco had given the hosts the lead in the first-half before late goals from Diego Milito and Wesley Sneijder won it for Inter.
Following Barcelona's 0-0 draw with Rubin Kazan earlier in the night both sides knew that three points would put them top of Group F.
The early exchanges were peppered with mistakes as both teams appeared paralysed by the sheer level of expectation.
However, despite the obvious nerves Inter were unlucky not to take the lead in the first minute when Milito slipped in Sneijder who shot from the left-hand edge of the area only to see his effort skim the top of the crossbar.
Both sides continued to waste possession and the visitors had their sloppiness punished when Kiev took a quick throw-in on the right deep inside the Inter half. The Italians were caught unaware as Shevchenko chested down before looping a volley over Inter goalkeeper Julio Cesar from the edge of the area.
The goal was the former AC Milan favourite's 15th against the Nerazzurri but arguably none have been as priceless as his latest strike in the 21st minute.
Inter unsurprisingly responded and good work from Dejan Stankovic and Samuel Eto'o allowed Milito space on the edge of the area but the Argentine's shot was straight at Kiev goalkeeper Stanislav Bogush as the striker struggled to shift the ball out of his feet.
Counter attack
Kiev continued to look dangerous on the counter attack as Inter pushed forward in search of an equaliser and again it was Shevchenco who found space. The hosts switched play to the right before Artem Milevskiy laid the ball off for Shevchenco but the Ukrainian dragged wide from the edge of the area.
Inter manager Jose Mourinho introduced Mario Balotelli and Thiago Motta for Christian Chivu and Esteban Cambiasso at the interval and the changes seemed to do the trick as Inter came out all guns blazing and should have equalised on 51 minutes.
Sneijder whipped in a free-kick from the right and Walter Samuel got ahead of his marker but could only divert his header from eight yards wide of the left-hand post.
The Italians were now controlling the game and were playing with an urgency that was so lacking in the first-half despite their perilous position at the foot of the group having drawn their opening three games.
However, Kiev were the next to threaten when Milos Ninkovic dinked inside and half volleyed from 18 yards but saw his shot go the wrong side of the post with Cesar scrambling across his line.
Inter responded and fathomed a chance out of nothing as Milito raced down the left before shooting from a tight angle but luckily for Kiev Bogush was alive to the threat.
Inter pressure
Maicon was the next to threaten as he surged down the right crossing with purpose but Yevhen Khacheridi was on hand to boot clear for a corner.
Kiev were struggling to clear their lines at the back and Inter thought they had levelled when Samuel met a Sneijder free-kick from the left only to see his header come back off the far post on 69 minutes.
Inter came forward once more two minutes later when a deep lying Eto'o managed to pick out the run of Balotelli with a delightful through ball. The Italian striker flicked the ball over the onrushing Bogush but his shot went agonisingly wide of the post.
Eto'o was the next Inter player to threaten the Kiev goal on 80 minutes as he latched onto a Sneijder through ball but the Cameroonian shot over when bearing down on goal under pressure from Khacheridi.
Inter's pressure finally told with four minutes remaining when Sneijder found Milito in a yard of space on the edge of the area. The former Genoa man killed the ball with one touch but his left-footed shot lacked power however it was still enough to beat Bogush who was wrong footed by the shot.
Mourinho's men could sense the win and continued to commit men forward. Substitute Sulley Muntari's hard struck shot squirmed under the body of Bogush, Milito followed up but his shot from the by-line was saved by the legs of Bogush but Sneijder was first to the rebound to stab home the winner.
| Dinamo Kiev |
Team Statistics |
Internazionale |
| 1 |
Goals |
2 |
| 1 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 1 |
Shots on Target |
8 |
| 4 |
Shots off Target |
7 |
| 4 |
Blocked Shots |
4 |
| 3 |
Corners |
7 |
| 19 |
Fouls |
19 |
| 3 |
Offsides |
1 |
| 2 |
Yellow Cards |
2 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 70.4 |
Passing Success |
78 |
| 28 |
Tackles |
21 |
| 71.4 |
Tackles Success |
81 |
| 40.4 |
Possession |
59.6 |
| 44.1 |
Territorial Advantage |
55.9 |
|
