Final score

18 October 2006 20:45

Inter
9' Cruz
2' Cruz
Spartak Moscow
9' (2nd half) Pavlyuchenko
Referee: Peter Layec / Linesmen: Reinbold, Le Boup / Fourth official: Malige
Watch highlights
Minute Text commentary
46' Half time. Inter 2-0 Spartak.
46' It's 3 against 2 as Figo, Recoba and Cruz run on goal. The Uruguayan's final pass across the face of the six-yard box is too long for his colleagues.
45' Stankovic receives from Recoba, gets into a shooting position and tests Kowalewski with a fierce right-foot shot.
44' Kovac's high ball into the Nerazzurri box is caught by Julio Cesar.
42' Free kick to Spartak on the left flank. Boyarintsev's is blocked and cleared by the Inter defence.
41' Spartak defender Geder cuts out a pass for Cruz, who would have been through on goal with just Kowalewski to beat.
38' Superb save by Julio Cesar to prevent Mozart's curling shot from finding the top left corner.
38' Good chance for Vieira who receives in space from Figo, but the Frenchman loses his footing in the Spartak area.
37' Boyarintsev sends a long-range shot on target. Julio Cesar saves.
36' Materazzi makes a clearance from the corner.
36' The Spartak defence intercepts a Stankovic pass to deny Recoba a clear run on goal.
36' Rodriguez has a go from distance. His effort takes a deflection and it's a Spartak corner.
34' Bystrov hooks a dangerous ball into the six-box from the right-wing by-line. Cordoba clears but Spartak remain in attack and Bystrov backheels wide of the far post after receiving in the box.
33' It's a booking apiece as Figo is yellow-carded for a foul from behind on Bystrov.
32' Rodriguez booked for a foul on Maicon.
31' Kowalewski fails to hold Recoba's low shot from the edge of the Spartak box. Geder kicks behind for an Inter corner.
31' Recoba looks for Cruz with first-time pass with the outside of his foot. Kowalewski collects as the Argentine forward fails to reach the ball.
29' Recoba looks for Cruz with first-time pass with the outside of his foot. Kowalewski collects as the Argentine forward fails to reach the ball.
29' Vieira, Stankovic and Maicon combine in a sweeping passing move in the Spartak third. The Brazilian's final cross is cleared by the Russian defence.
26' Recoba plays over the Spartak defence but Kowalewski gathers as Cruz misreads the move.
24' In the Inter area, Materazzi blasts clear to deny Titov.
23' Zanetti has a low shot from the edge of the area saved by Kowalewski.
21' Boyarintsev wastes a gilt-edged chance for Spartak. With just Julio Cesar to beat, he curls his diagonal shot over the bar.
20' Recoba is several yards offside as he runs to meet a Vieira through ball.
19' Free kick to Inter on the left channel. Chino plays square to Stankovic who unleashes a fierce right-foot shot from 30 yards. It's inches wide of the left post.
18' Zanetti and Stankovic do a good job on Pavlyuchenko before setting up a counter attack. Il Capitano storms down the right, combines with Recoba and appears to be bundled off the ball by Shishkin. No free kick given.
12' Vieira's cross is headed clear by Geder with Cruz and Recoba lurking in the Spartak box.
11' Bystrov takes on two opponents as he enters the Inter box from the right. He is then intercepted and Inter break.
9' That was Inter's 100th home goal in Champions League/European Cup matches.
9' GOOOAAALLLLLL!!!! We're two up after less than ten minutes as Julio Cruz heads in a Recoba cross from close range. Good work by Stankovic who played wide to Il Chino.
8' Maicon races down the the right and delivers a cross for Cruz, who is intercepted. The Nerazzurri remain in attack and Maicon tests Kowalewski with a diagonal effort.
6' Julio Cesar blocks Mozart's weak shot from the edge of the Inter box.
5' Free kick to Spartak on the right wing. Mozart's curling shot is over Julio Cesar's bar.
3' Recoba clips the ball into the Spartak area from the left and wins a corner for the Nerazzurri.
2' GOOOOAAAALLLL!!!! Julio Cruz controls Vieira's assist from Recoba's free kick and crashes his shot into the roof of the net.
1' Good evening and welcome to the Meazza for Inter v Spartak.
1' We're under way as the Nerazzurri kick off. FORZA INTER!!!!
1' Spartak lineup: 30 Kowalewski; 49 Shishkin, 13 Jiranek, 2 Geder, 17 Rodriguez; 23 Bystrov, 15 Kovac, 24 Mozart, 7 Boyarintsev; 9 Titov,10 Pavlyuchenko.
1' Inter lineup: 12 Julio Cesar; 13 Maicon, 2 Cordoba, 23 Materazzi, 4 Zanetti; 7 Figo, 14 Vieira, 15 Dacourt, 5 Stankovic; 9 Cruz, 20 Recoba.
Minute Text commentary
48' Full time. Inter beat Spartak 2-1 and climb to third place in Champions League Group B.
46' Inter replace Julio Cruz with Walter Samuel.
45' 3 minutes of added time to play.
44' Owusu-Abeyie races down the left, takes the ball past Cordoba and crosses into the middle of the Inter area. Boyarintsev shoots, forcing a great save from Julio Cesar. What a good chance for the Russians.
38' Dejan Stankovic wins a confrontation with an opponent and rifles a right-foot shot wide of the left post.
38' Cruz receives from Zanetti and sends a grasscutter on target. Kowalewski makes a diving save.
36' Kalynychenko yellow-carded for the foul on Dacourt.
35' Dacourt remains on the ground after a two-footed tackle by Kalynychenko.
33' Adriano runs half the pitch, gets to the edge of the Spartak box and blasts way over the crossbar.
31' At the far post Dejan Stankovic brings down Cruz' deflected cross from the right, switches to his left foot and volleys home. The goal is disallowed for high feet.
30' Spartak bring on Kalynychenko for Bystrov.
30' Inter win a left-wing corner. Materazzi commits a foul on Kovac as both players rise to meet Stankovic's cross at the back post.
29' Burdisso's high cross in from the left is headed clear by Spartak.
25' Cruz plays a hooked pass down the right for Adriano, but Geder gets to the ball first and passes back to his keeper.
24' Inter substitution: Adriano replaces Figo and will partner Cruz in attack.
21' Spartak midfielder Titov clears Figo's cross from the left.
20' Inter awarded a free kick on the left wing for a Geder foul on Figo.
19' Figo's cross from the right-wing corner flag is headed clear by Jiranek.
18' Maicon and Zanetti combine on the right, and win Inter a corner.
18' Free kick to Inter 40 yards out on the right channel for a Kovac foul on Cruz.
16' Jiranek beats Cruz to Vieira's through ball as Hernan Crespo warms up on the touchline.
13' Inter make their first switch. On comes Nicolas Burdisso for Alvaro Recoba.
12' Stankovic, Figo, Recoba and Cruz combine to devastating effect as the Nerazzurri hit Spartak on the break. Julio's final shot, an angled effort from the left side of the box, is saved by Kowalewski.
11' Playing with renewed belief, Spartak maintain the pressure in the Inter third.
9' Spartak pull a goal back through Pavlyuchenko, who slots into the net from close range after good work by Owusu-Abeyie and Boyarintsev.
8' Dejan Stankovic crosses into space for Julio Cruz, who enters the Spartak box before being caught in possession.
6' Inter close to a third. Zanetti plays to Recoba who passes square to Figo, who rattles the crossbar with a shot from the edge of the area.
4' Kowalewski comes off his line to deny the onrushing Recoba a chance from Vieira's through ball.
1' Spartak get the second half going.
1' The Russians have brought on Owusu-Abeyie (who is wearing the name Quincy on his shirt) for ex-Reggina player Mozart.
Recoba
8.38
8.38
Zanetti
7.44
7.44
Cordoba
6.11
6.11
Materazzi
6.55
6.55
Adriano
6.15
6.15
Cruz
8.69
8.69
Stankovic
8.01
8.01
Burdisso
6.25
6.25
Julio Cesar
7.53
7.53
Samuel
6.36
6.36
Figo
7.24
7.24
Maicon
6.25
6.25
Dacourt
6.66
6.66
Vieira
6.76
6.76
Average rating 7.03
8 shots on target 5
4 shots off target 3
23 fouls committed 16
4 corners 3
4 offsides 4
00 ball possession 00
Inter v Spartak Moscow - Nerazzurri unbeaten

Inter have won three and drawn one of their four previous meetings with Champions League Group B opponents Spartak Moscow.

Details:

1997/98 UEFA Cup Inter-Spartak Moscow 2-1 2-1
1998/99 Champions League Inter-Spartak Moscow 2-1 1-1

Inter v Russian clubs

In their six previous encounters with Russian teams, the Nerazzurri have won three, drawn two and lost one.

Details:

1997/98 UEFA Cup Inter-Spartak Moscow 2-1 2-1
1998/99 Champions League Inter-Spartak Moscow 2-1 1-1
2003/04 Champions League Inter-Lokomotiv Moscow 1-1 0-3

Spartak Moscow v Italian clubs - Russians winless in Italy

In 12 competitive matches against Italian clubs, Spartak Moscow have won two, drawn five and lost five. The Russians have never won on Italian soil, with three draws and three defeats from six games.

Details:

1972/73 Cup Winners' Cup Spartak Moscow-AC Milan 0-1 1-1
1975/76 UEFA Cup Spartak Moscow-AC Milan 2-0 0-4
1989/90 UEFA Cup Spartak Moscow-Atalanta 2-0 0-0
1990/91 European Cup Spartak Moscow-Napoli 0-0 a.e.t. (5-3 after pens) 0-0
1997/98 UEFA Cup Spartak Moscow-Inter 1-2 1-2
1998/99 Champions League Spartak Moscow-Inter 1-1 1-2

Inter goalless in Europe since March

Obafemi Martins' goal in the 54th minute of Inter 2-1 Villarreal on 29 March 2006 was the last time Inter scored in Europe. Including the remaining 36 minutes of that match plus the entire games against Villarreal (2005/06 Champions League QF 2nd leg), Sporting Lisbon and Bayern Munich (2006/07 Champions League Group B), the Nerazzurri have gone 306 minutes without a European goal.

Inter chasing 100th European Cup goal at home

The Nerazzurri are two away from their 100th home goal in the European Cup/Champions League. Jair's 47th-minute effort in Inter 1-0 Everton on 25 September 1963 was the first of Inter's 98 goals in Europe's elite competition for clubs.

Inter: one clean sheet in 14 games

The 1-0 Serie A win at Roma on 20 September is Inter's only clean sheet in their last fourteen games. Roberto Mancini's team have conceded an average of 1.54 goals in each of the other thirteen matches.

Inter: no home draw in Europe for 14 months

Inter haven't drawn a European game at home since 24 August 2005 when they were held 1-1 by Shakhtar Donetsk in Champions League qualifying. In the six home matches played since that date the Nerazzurri have collected 5 wins and a defeat.

Only one Italian defeat to Russian clubs on home soil

Torino's 2-1 UEFA Cup defeat to Dynamo Moscow on 22 October 1992 was the first ever meeting between an Italian and Russian club in a European competition, and the only Italian defeat at home. In the 15 matches played on Italian soil since that date, there have been 10 Italian wins and 5 draws.

Spartak: no away goal in Europe for 193 minutes

Kovac's goal for Spartak at Serif Tiraspol in the 1-1 Champions League qualifying draw on 26 July 2006 was the last time the Russians scored away from home in Europe. Spartak have gone the remaining 13 minutes of that game plus the entire away matches against Slovan Liberec (2006/07 Champions League qualifying) and Bayern Munich (2006/07 Champions League Group B) without scoring.

DA IMPLEMENTARE
wins(2) draws(0) defeats(0)
MILAN - Julio Cruz stunned Spartak Moscow with two early goals at the Giuseppe Meazza to earn the Nerazzurri a 2-1 win over the Russians and their first points in this season's Champions League.

It took Cruz, who made his return from injury in Sunday's victory over Catania, less than two minutes to score against the team nicknamed 'The Meat'. Meeting Vieira's assist from a Recoba inswinger, the Argentine forward hooked his first-time shot on the turn into the roof of the net.

Inter doubled their lead in the 9th minute. Stankovic played over the Spartak defence to Recoba who steered wide of Kowalewski before crossing into the six-yard box where Cruz headed in Inter's 100th home goal in Champions League/European matches.

The crossbar denied Inter a third goal six minutes after the restart, Luis Figo rattling the woodwork with a right-foot shot from the edge of the box after good approach play by Zanetti and Recoba.

The Muscovites found more spaces coming forward after the introduction of pacey Dutch striker Quincy Owusu-Abeyie, and reduced the arrears against the run of play through Pavlyuchenko who met Boyarintsev's ball from the left and slotted in from close range.

Inter soaked up a period of Spartak pressure before continuing to dominate the game, and looked to have scored a third when Dejan Stankovic brought down Cruz' deflected cross from the right, switched to his left foot and volleyed home. But the Serbian's effort was ruled out for high feet.

Mancini's men survived a late scare when Julio Cesar kept out a Boyarintsev shot in the 89th minute to deny Spartak a dramatic equaliser.

INTER 2-1 SPARTAK MOSCOW (HT: 2-0)

Scorers: Cruz 2, 9, Pavlyuchenko 54

INTER: 12 Julio Cesar; 13 Maicon, 2 Cordoba, 23 Materazzi, 4 Zanetti; 7 Figo (10 Adriano 69), 14 Vieira, 15 Dacourt, 5 Stankovic; 9 Cruz (25 Samuel 90+1), 20 Recoba (16 Burdisso 58)
Subs not used: 1 Toldo, 6 Maxwell, 18 Crespo, 21 Solari
Coach: Roberto Mancini

SPARTAK MOSCOW: 30 Kowalewski; 49 Shishkin, 13 Jiranek, 2 Geder, 3 Stranzl; 7 Boyarintsev, 9 Titov, 15 Kovac, 24 Mozar (21 Owusu-Abeyie 46), 23 Bystrov (8 Kalynychenko 75); 10 Pavlyuchenko
Subs not used: 1 Khomich, 5 Torbinskiy, 11 Rebko, 14 Rodriguez, 18 Pavlenko, 20 Cavenaghi
Coach: Vladimir Fedotov

Referee: Bertrand Layec (France)

Booked: Rodriguez 32, Figo 33, Kalynychenko 80

starting lineups

Julio Cesar 12 Kowalewski
Maicon 13 Shishkin
Cordoba 2 Jiranek
Materazzi 23 Geder
Zanetti 4 Rodriguez
Figo 7 Bystrov
Vieira 14 Kovac
Dacourt 15 Mozart
Stankovic 5 Boyarintsev
Cruz 9 Titov
Recoba 20 Pavlyuchenko

substitutes

Toldo 1 Khomich
Burdisso 16 Stranzl
Samuel 25 Covalciuc
Maxwell 6 Owusu-Abeyie
Solari 21 Cavenaghi
Adriano 10 Rebko
Crespo 18 Kalynychenko