In Milan, Inter found a way through a difficult European evening without their captain and then, for much of the second half, without a full complement of players. Lautaro Martinez is expected to be out for between four and six weeks, yet Cristian Chivu’s side overcame his absence and Alessandro Bastoni’s dismissal to beat Arda Turan’s Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0, collecting their first win of the league phase.
The result steadied Inter after defeats against Madrid, 2-1, and Club Brugge, 4-3. Ange-Yoan Bonny was selected beside Marcus Thuram in attack, rather than Pio Esposito, who had begun the recent 3-1 victory at Bologna. Thuram almost gave the hosts an immediate reward, forcing Dmytro Riznyk to turn a low angled effort behind inside three minutes.
Inter’s early control was clear around San Siro. Shakhtar were repeatedly troubled playing out from the back, though Hakan Calhanoglu could not convert one such opening against the club coached by his former Turkey team-mate, Arda Turan. The home side had seven attempts in the opening 25 minutes, albeit only two tested Riznyk. The Ukrainian goalkeeper was again required in the 21st minute, keeping out Bonny’s sharp turn and shot.
Shakhtar’s moments were fewer before the interval. Pedrinho had offered their principal attacking threat, but the Brazilian had to depart around the half-hour mark after an accidental collision with Carlos Augusto. Before the break, Valenciaborn goalkeeper Josep Martinez made an important diving stop from a downward Bondar header, a warning that the visitors had begun to grow into the contest.
A goal after adversity
Shakhtar carried that improved rhythm into the second half, prompting Chivu to make a triple alteration. Yann Bisseck, Andy Diouf and Piotr Zielinski came on for Djed Spence, Federico Dimarco and Calhanoglu. The evening then became still more precarious for Inter when Bastoni collected two yellow cards within two minutes. His second came after he made contact with Ocheretko’s face away from the ball.
Yet the numerical advantage did not bring Shakhtar the breakthrough they sought. Henrikh Mkhitaryan, with his first meaningful involvement, released Carlos Augusto into the area against Riznyk. The Brazilian finished calmly. Having started as a central defender, Carlos Augusto had shifted to the left flank following Bisseck’s arrival, and his adaptability supplied the decisive moment.
There was still work for Inter to do. In the closing stages, Martinez produced two outstanding airborne saves to preserve the narrow lead. Shakhtar had arrived unbeaten in this Champions League campaign, after drawing 1-1 in Eindhoven and defeating AEK 3-1, but departed Lombardy without extending that run. For Inter, the evening was less about ease than resilience: a first European victory fashioned amid injuries, a red card and a late siege.
