Final score

20 August 2014 23:00

Stjarnan
0 - 3
Inter
44' (2nd half) D'Ambrosio
3' (2nd half) Dodò
41' Icardi
Referee: Marijo Strahonja / Linesmen: S. Premuzaj, I. Krmar / Fourth official: F. Jovic
Watch highlights
Minute Text commentary
45' Half time at Laugardalsvöllur Stadium. Icardi's strike gives #Inter the lead going into the break
41' That's the breakthrough! Dodo's dinked ball into the box isn't cleared and it drops for Icardi, who coolly slots home: 1-0!
38' Great vision once again from Kovacic whose through ball is so nearly collected by Jonathan right in front of the keeper
35' Botta shows superb control to bring down Juan Jesus' ball into the box, turn and shoot just wide but the whistle had gone: offside
28' Kovacic lays off for Dodo, who jinks past his man on the left and goes for goal: over
24' Off the line! Ranocchia leaps head and shoulders above the crowd and nods goalwards only to be denied
21' Kovacic shoots wide
20' Hernanes shifts up a gear to burst past a few blue and white shirts before feeding Botta: Jónsson saves
14' Inter's reply comes from the right boot of Hernanes but his long-range effort flies high over the bar
12' First shot on goal for the Icelanders, Punyed's strike is weak and easily gathered by Handanovic
8' Jonathan meanders his way into the box earning the Nerazzurri their second corner of the game. Stjarnan clear their lines
3' Early chance for Inter! Dodo's corner is met by Icardi, who powers a header not far over
1' Welcome along to Reykjavik's Laugardalsvöllur Stadium, Nerazzurri fans. Inter's 2014/15 campaign finally kicks off at 23:00 tonight!
1' The hosts take the kick-off and we're under way here in Reykjavik! Forza Inter!
1' Jonathan and Dodo will run the flanks in midfield with Hernanes, M'Vila and Kovacic in the centre. Botta starts behind Icardi
1' Mazzarri's three-man backline is formed by Ranocchia - in his first competitive game as captain - Vidic and Juan Jesus. Handanovic in goal
1' Our Europa League play-off opponents are European debutants Stjarnan, who beat Bangor, Motherwell and Lech Poznan to get here
Minute Text commentary
48' The return leg is on Thursday 28 August: Inter's first game of the season at the Stadio Meazza
48' Full time! The Nerazzurri win the first leg of their Europa League play-off tie: Stjarnan 0-3 Inter (Icardi 40, Dodo 47, D'Ambrosio 89)
45' Three minutes of stoppage time to play
44' GOAL FOR INTER! D'Ambrosio with a cracking strike! Kuzmanovic lays off for the full-back to smash home below the bar. Stjarnan 0-3 Inter
43' Final switch for Inter, Kuzmanovic takes over from Hernanes
42' Osvaldo hits the bar! The keeper perhaps got the slightest of touches on the striker's curling effort from 20 yards
39' Handanovic is called into action to parry Finsen's low drive from the edge of the box
34' Johannsson is shown a yellow for a foul on Dodo
31' D'Ambrosio almost makes an instant impact, his header from Dodo's corner flying wide
30' Another change for Mazzarri, Jonathan is replaced by D'Ambrosio
28' Toft tries to catch the Nerazzurri napping, his shot hits the side netting
27' Juan Jesus makes a decisive intervention to snuff out a Stjarnan attack
25' Meanwhile Toft replaces Runarsson
25' First substitution for the hosts: Gunnarsson makes way for G. Johannsson
20' Vidic collects the first booking of the night
16' First change for Mazzarri and it's Osvaldo coming on to make his competitive debut for Inter. Botta makes way
16' Stjarnan sniffing around the Nerazzurri goal now, Bjorgvinsson can't make the most of Johannsson's cross
12' Hernanes' effort flies over
11' Strahonja has a word with Ranocchia after a foul on Punyed but keeps his card in his pocket
5' That might have been three! A rehearsed set piece sees Hernanes' chipped free kick find Icardi but he can't quite connect
3' GOAL FOR INTER! Dodo collects Jonathan's cross to the far post and nods home: 2-0 to Inter!
1' We're off again as Inter get the second period up and running
Ranocchia
7.19
7.19
Jonathan
6.54
6.54
Jesus
7.14
7.14
Handanovic
6.78
6.78
Kuzmanovic
6.23
6.23
Kovacic
7.34
7.34
Icardi
7.33
7.33
Botta
6.22
6.22
D'Ambrosio
7.24
7.24
Hernanes
6.8
6.8
Vidic
6.99
6.99
Dodò
8.39
8.39
M'Vila
7.27
7.27
Osvaldo
7.17
7.17
Average rating 7.05
2 shots on target 7
4 shots off target 11
7 fouls committed 10
2 corners 6
0 offsides 1
29% ball possession 71%
wins(1) draws(0) defeats(0)

REYKJAVIK – Mission accomplished. Inter come home from Iceland with a three-goal cushion and one foot in the Europa League group stage.

It took 40 minutes for Mauro Icardi to break Stjarnan's resistance but once the Nerazzurri were in front there was no looking back. Dodo made it two right after the break before D'Ambrosio came off the bench to notch a third shortly before full time. Walter Mazzarri's men head into next Thursday's return leg firmly in the driving seat.

It was 23:00 back in Italy when Inter took to the field for their first competitive match of 2014/15 wearing their smart new home kit. The hosts, whose name means 'star' in Icelandic, were hoping to shine on the same pitch where Marcello Lippi lost his first game as Italy coach.

Walter Mazzarri lined his men up in a 3-5-1-1, Handanovic behind a rearguard of Ranocchia, Vidic and Juan Jesus, with Jonathan and Dodo providing width in midfield, M'Vila flanked by Hernanes and Kovacic in the centre and Botta in behind Icardi. Stjarnan responded with an extremely compact and decidedly cautious 4-2-3-1.

Inter found their feet as the game wore on but started brightly enough. Ranocchia went close to opening the scoring midway through the half when he met Jonathan's corner with a towering header. Jonsson was beaten but Finsen hacked clear off the line.

The Icelanders were certainly in no mood for rolling over. Unbeaten in 15 games since 18 June before meeting Inter, they're enjoying one of their best campaigns ever and currently sit top of the league. Their defensive solidity has been constructed by their coach and former player Runes Paul Sigmundsson and it took the Nerazzuri 40 minutes to find a way through.

When the opening goal eventually came it was from the boot of Mauro Icardi. The Argentine frontman clinically displayed his finishing prowess following a fine cross by Dodo, one of the most impressive performers on the night.

Mazzarri's men headed in at the break a goal to the good, and deservedly so.

The coach clearly instructed his charges to keep their foot on the pedal during his half-time team talk because there was no letting up after the restart. Indeed they added a second within minutes of returning to the pitch.

Jonathan latched onto Hernanes' through ball and stood up a cross for Dodo at the far post, manufacturing a goal straight out of the Mazzarri handbook. 2-0 and the scoreline was now starting to reflect what we'd seen on the pitch thus far.

Osvaldo made his competitive debut in black and blue when he replaced Botta on the hour mark, and minutes later Vidic picked up the first (and only) yellow card of the game for holding onto his man, having been on the receiving end of a foul that had gone unseen by Mr Strahonja.

Sigmundsson shuffled his pack with 20 minutes remaining and threw on some extra weight up front as Toft and Johannsson replaced Runarsson and Gunnarsson. Yet it was Finsen who offered one of the few threats on Inter's goal with a long-range effort that was smartly dealt with by Handanovic.

Osvaldo showed what he's about in the 86th minute and he was inches away from a debut goal. Artfully shaking off the attentions of two men, he struck a curling finish that was tipped onto the woodwork by Stjarnan's No.1 with the feintest of touches.

It was to be a night of firsts for Danilo D'Ambrosio, however, as he opened his Nerazzurri account with seconds of normal time to play. Kuzmanovic - moments after coming on for Hernanes - laid off for the Italian full-back to crash home his finish high into the net in full view of the travelling Inter supporters.

So 3-0 it is after the first leg and now it's back to the Meazza for the second installment next Thursday – Inter's first home match of the new season. Don't miss it!

Stjarnan 0-3 Inter (HT 0-1)
Scorers: Icardi 40, Dodo 47, D'Ambrosio 89.

Stjarnan: Jonsson; Vemmelund, Laxdal, Rauschenberg, Arnason; Johannsson A., Gunnarsson (Johannsson G. 69), Runarsson (Toft 69); Bjorgvinsson, Punyed, Finsen.
Subs not used: Johannesson, Laxdal, Aegisson, Ottesen, Blondal.
Coach: Rúnar Páll Sigmundsson.

Inter: Handanovic; Ranocchia, Vidic, Juan Jesus; Jonathan (D'Ambrosio 75), Hernanes (Kuzmanovic 89), M'Vila, Kovacic, Dodo; Botta (Osvaldo 61); Icardi.
Subs not used: Carrizo, Andreolli, Osvaldo, Guarin, Obi.
Coach: Walter Mazzarri.

Referee: Marijo Strahonja.
Assistants: Sinisa Premuzaj, Igor Krmar.
Fourth official: Fran Jovic.

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starting lineups

Jónsson 1 1 Handanovic
Vemmelund 4 23 Ranocchia
D. Laxdal 9 15 Vidic
Rauschenberg 29 5 Jesus
Árnason 14 2 Jonathan
A. Jóhannsson 7 88 Hernanes
Rúnarsson 16 90 M'Vila
Björgvinsson 11 10 Kovacic
Punyed 8 22 Dodò
Finsen 17 19 Botta
Gunnarsson 10 9 Icardi

substitutes

Johannesson 25 30 Carrizo
J. Laxdal 2 6 Andreolli
Aegisson 12 7 Osvaldo
Ottesen 20 13 Guarin
Blöndal 23 17 Kuzmanovic
Toft 24 20 Obi
G. Jóhannsson 27 33 D'Ambrosio