BEIJING - Samuel Eto'o volleyed home a cracking goal on his competitive debut for Inter but Lazio held on to stop the Nerazzurri from retaining the Italian Super Cup in front of a 70,000 crowd at the National Stadium.

Mourinho's new-look side outplayed their opponents for the opening sixty minutes of the first sporting event at the Bird's Nest since last summer's Olympic Games and the Paralympics, but Matuzalem gave Lazio a shock lead in the 63rd and then Rocchi added a quick second to leave Inter on the back foot.

Summer signings Eto'o, Thiago Motta, Lucio and Milito all made their competitive debuts in Beijing, while the Pirelli logo in Chinese made a return on the Inter shirts for the first ever competitive Italian football match in the China.

The stadium was more black and blue than blue and white and the support of our superb Chinese fans helped the boys make a roaring start, with Stankovic, Eto'o and Milito all producing decent chances before Zarate forced a brilliant save from Julio Cesar.

The best chance of the first half fell to Sulley Muntari, who scored in last year's Super Cup victory over Roma. The Ghanaian latched on to Eto's fantastic through ball but blasted his shot over with the goal gaping.

Captain Zanetti had a chance of his own early in the second half after a powerful run into the box but his effort found the sidenetting. Stankovic then had a 20-yard drive tipped over by Muslera and Lucio headed over a Maicon corner. Inter created chance after chance but the goal wouldn't come, with Stankovic and Milito twice going close either side of a splendid solo move by Eto'o, who rounded Muslera before firing across the face of the goal. 

Lazio took the lead against the run of play on 63 minutes. Zarate won his team a free kick, Kolarov took it, Julio Cesar made a punched clearance after a deflection off the wall and the ball went in off Matuzalem's face.

Rocchi punished a mistake by Chivu to double Inter's lead in the 66th, lobbing over Julio Cesar after a free run on goal.

Mourinho threw on Balotelli and Vieira for Stankovic and Thiago Motta, later replacing Muntari with Suazo. Rallied by the fans, Inter surged forward in search of their four strikers and pulled a goal back with twelve minutes left when Eto'o met Balotelli's through ball and whacked it past Muslera.

Everyone but the referee thought Milito had equalised when he swivelled on to Suazo's pass and fired in but Morganti blew for offside, before a late onslaught on Muslera's goal saw Balotelli, Eto'o, Suazo and Lucio all go close to forcing extra time.

Inter 1-2 Lazio (HT: 0-0)

Scorers: Matuzalem 63, Rocchi 66, Eto'o 78.

Inter: 12 Julio Cesar; 13 Maicon, 6 Lucio, 26 Chivu, 4 Zanetti; 11 Muntari (18 Suazo 84), 19 Cambiasso, 8 Thiago Motta (45 Balotelli 69); 5 Stankovic (14 Vieira 69); 22 Milito, 9 Eto'o.
Subs not used: 12 Toldo, 2 Cordoba, 16 Burdisso, 39 Santon.
Coach: Josè Mourinho.

Lazio: 86 Muslera; 2 Lichtsteiner, 13 Siviglia, 87 Diakitè, 11 Kolarov; 32 Brocchi, 33 Baronio (6 Dabo 53), 5 Mauri (25 Cribari 80); 8 Matuzalem; 9 Rocchi (74 Cruz 72), 10 Zarate.
Subs not used: 1 Bizzarri, 26 Radu, 7 Eliseu, 17 Foggia.
Coach: Davide Ballardini.

Referee: Emidio Morganti (Ascoli Piceno).

Booked: Muntari 29, Matuzalem 30, Chivu 89, Maicon 89.

starting lineups

substitutes