Final score

26 August 2007 15:00

Inter
9' Stankovic
Udinese
48' (2nd half) Cordoba o.g.
Referee: Luca Banti / Linesmen: Toscani, Angrisani / Fourth official: Lops
Watch highlights
Minute Text commentary
45' Half time. Inter lead Udinese by a goal to nil thanks to Dejan Stankovic's goal on 9 minutes.
45' Good chance for Udinese just before the break. Floro Flores climbs in the area to meet Inler's right-wing cross and he heads wide.
44' Cruz receives from Maxwell in the area and crosses but it's too fast for Ibrahimovic.
43' Zapata beats Ibrahimovic to Stankovic's low, driven cross in from the right.
40' Incredible miss by Julio Cruz after a great move by the Nerazzurri. Ibrahimovic chests the ball into the path of Stankovic and the Serbian hooks it into the box for Cruz. El Jardinero blasts over with just Chimenti to beat.
39' Giandomenico Mesto is in acres of space as he receives on the right. The former Reggina captain whips in a cross-shot, forcing Julio Cesar into a diving save.
37' Ibra creates a yard of space with another magical touch of the ball and crosses from right to left. There's no team-mate on hand, and the ball rolls out for an Udinese throw-in.
36' Samuel rises at the back post to head on target Figo's corner. Chimenti collects.
35' Ibra's effort from the resultant free kick spins off Dossena and finishes over the bar. Corner for Inter.
34' Czech midfielder Tomas Sivok is booked for a foul on Stankovic.
31' Udinese come back at the Nerazzurri. Quagliarella enters the box from the right and serves Inler. His low shot is blocked.
30' Maicon booked for foul play.
29' Maicon's glancing header from an Inter corner is wide of the far post.
28' Superb play by Ibrahimovic. The Swede receives in the area from Figo, whips it up and lobs Handanovic, but Udinese's Swiss midfielder Gokhan Inler clears off the line.
27' Asamoah, by far his team's most dangerous player in this opening period, climbs in the area and heads a just over the bar.
26' With his back to goal Asamoah receives from Mesto. He turns and fires on target. Julio Cesar tips behind for a corner.
24' Ibra delights the crowd with some trademark fancy footwork on the left channel.
23' Cordoba almost scores an own goal. Asamoah sprints past Samuel down the right and crosses into the area. The ball spins dangerously off the Colombian and goes out for a throw-in.
21' Cruz' shot on the turn from Figo's corner is blocked by the Udinese defence.
18' Maicon's outswinging cross-shot from the right isn't far wide.
17' Inter close to a second. Zanetti dances past two in the box and crosses to the far post where Stankovic blazes wide.
14' Low ball in from the left by Maxwell. It's blocked by Coda.
11' Ibrahimovic fires in a low cross from the right. Zapata beats Maicon to the ball and brings it out of defence.
11' Tomas Sivok has a chance for an immediate reply for the visitors but blasts over from 20 yards.
9' GOOOOAAAALLLLLL!!!!! Dejan Stankovic is the scorer of Inter's first goal of the 2007/08 season. Ibra plays in the Serb with a delightful ball into the area. Dejan controls and lifts it over Chimenti. Inter 1-0 Udinese.
7' Stankovic floats a ball into the Udine box. Coda beats Ibrahimovic to it and sweeps clear.
6' An early chance for Udinese. Floro Flores tears down the left and then plays across the face of the area for Fabio Quagliarella whose shot is blocked by Walter Samuel.
4' Ibra combines with Figo on the left but Udinese captain Zapata intercepts.
3' Figo dribbles his way past two in the box and plays back to the edge of the area but there's no team-mate on hand.
2' D'Agostino blocks a Figo cross from the left.
1' Welcome to the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in Milan's San Siro district, where the Nerazzurri are all set to open their defence of the Serie A title against Udinese.
1' Inter, wearing their black and blue strip, kick off against the Bianconeri, playing in yellow this afternoon. FORZA NERAZZURRI!!!!
1' Udinese: 25 Chimenti; 20 Mesto, 6 Coda, 2 Zapata, 8 Dossena; 88 Inler, 4 D'Agostino; 66 Sivok, 27 Quagliarella, 3 Asamoah; 83 Floro Flores.
1' Inter: 12 Julio Cesar; 13 Maicon, 2 Cordoba, 25 Samuel , 6 Maxwell; 5 Stankovic, 15 Dacourt, 4 Zanetti; 7 Figo; 8 Ibrahimovic, 9 Cruz.
1' The teams are out warming up. It's over 30 degrees Celsius down there on the pitch.
1' There are plenty of white shirts bearing white crosses dotted around the stadium - a sign that our new away strip for the centenary season has gone down well with the fans. Get yours at http://store.inter.it.
1' After a week of a grey weather in Milan, it's a sweltering Sunday. The heat is sure to take its toll on the players this afternoon.
Minute Text commentary
52' Full time. Inter are held 1-1 by Udinese.
51' Floro Flores flashes a shot high and wide from the left edge of the Inter area.
47' Udinese equalise. Mesto's header from a Pepe corner goes in off the head of Cordoba. Inter 1-1 Udinese.
45' Five minutes of added time.
44' Quagliarella's shot on the turn is blocked by Maicon. There's no way through for the Bianconeri from Friuli.
42' Floro Flores blazes over the bar, wasting a golden chance for a leveller.
40' D'Agostino's curling free kick is easy prey for Francesco Toldo.
39' Maxwell is booked for a foul on Pepe.
35' Udinese bring on another fresh pair of legs. Simone Pepe replaces Gokhan Inler.
35' The tiredness is creeping in at San Siro.
32' Udinese make their second substitution. Pasquale Marino bings on Aleksandar Lukovic for Andrea Dossena.
29' Mancini makes his third switch. Cristian Chivu is on for Olivier Dacourt.
28' Floro Flores climbs in the area and heads way over from Dossena's left-wing centre.
27' Ibrahimovic serves Suazo with a low ball into the area but Chimenti is out quick to thwart the Honduran striker.
24' Suazo is shoved off the ball by Coda and it's a free kick to us on the left wing.
23' Brilliant sliding tackle by Samuel on Quagliarella!
22' Dossena's volley is comfortably saved by Toldo.
21' Toldo grasps a cross from Inler as Udinese come looking to exploit the numerical superiority.
20' David Suazo comes on for Luis Figo.
20' Asamoah rises in the box and heads over a right-wing cross from Eremenko.
18' At the other end, Maxwell heads Mesto's inswinging cross safely back to Julio Cesar.
16' Zanetti tries to thread through to Ibrahimovic but Coda intercepts.
15' The crowd is really getting behind Inter, who will play this remaining half-hour with ten men.
15' Applause for Toldo, who makes an easy save from D'Agostino's weak free kick.
13' Mancini brings on Francesco Toldo for Julio Cruz.
12' Julio Cesar is sent off for handling the ball outside his area in an attempt to deny Asamoah a chance from D'Agostino's long ball forward.
11' Udinese bring on Roman Eremenko for Tomas Sivok.
10' Julio Cesar is out quick to grab Dossena's left-wing cross and deny Floro Flores.
7' We're back under way at the Meazza, and Figo returns to the pitch.
6' Play is yet to resume as Figo receives treatment to that kick in the face from Inler.
5' Figo goes down under a wild challenge from Inler, who becomes the second Udinese player to be shown a yellow card this afternoon.
2' Udinese hit us on the break. Fabio Quagliarella goes close to an equaliser with a low, diagonal shot that finishes just wide of the far post.
2' Maxwell leaves two opponents for dead with a mazy run in the box., He then cuts back for Ibrahimovic whose rocket shot is blocked.
1' Udinese get the second half under way.
Zanetti
6.4
6.4
Cordoba
4.69
4.69
Toldo
6.13
6.13
Cruz
4.42
4.42
Stankovic
6.34
6.34
Julio Cesar
4.44
4.44
Samuel
5.64
5.64
Figo
6.52
6.52
Maicon
5.56
5.56
Maxwell
5.46
5.46
Dacourt
5.37
5.37
Ibrahimovic
7.14
7.14
Suazo
4.78
4.78
Chivu
5.48
5.48
Average rating 5.6
2 shots on target 3
4 shots off target 12
10 fouls committed 17
6 corners 6
1 offsides 0
30:09 ball possession 25:35
Mancini v Marino

Pasquale Marino has lost both his competitive meeting with Roberto Mancini.

Details:

2006/07 Serie A Catania-Inter 1-4 1-2

Marino v Inter

Udinese coach Pasquale Marino faces Inter for the third time after last season's two defeats when in charge of Catania.

Details:

2006/07 Serie A Catania-Inter 1-4 1-2

Mancini v Udinese

Inter boss Mancini has won 8, drawn 5 and lost 1 of his 14 competitive meetings with Udinese. At home, his teams have garnered 5 wins and 2 draws, scoring 14 goals.

Details:

2000/01 Serie A Fiorentina-Udinese 2-1 ----
2001/02 Serie A Fiorentina-Udinese ---- 2-1
2002/03 Serie A Lazio-Udinese 2-1 1-2
2003/04 Serie A Lazio-Udinese 2-2 2-1
2004/05 Serie A Inter-Udinese 3-1 1-1
2005/06 Serie A Inter-Udinese 3-1 1-0
2005/06 Coppa Italia Inter-Udinese 1-0 2-2
2006/07 erie A Inter-Udinese 1-1 0-0

No Inter defeat to Udinese on opening day of season

Inter face Udinese in a Serie A opener for the sixth time since the championship became a one-division tournament. The Nerazzurri have the edge with 4 wins (2-0 in 1954/55, 3-1 in 1958/59, 4-0 in 1980/81 and 1-0 in 1996/97) to Udinese's one victory (2-1 in 1992/93). All five matches were played in Udine).

No draw for reigning champs on opening day since 1991/92

The reigning Italian champions have not lost on the opening day of a Serie A season since 1991/92 when Boskov's Sampdoria side fell 3-2 to Cagliari on 1 September. In the fifteen Serie A championships since that date, the Scudetto holders have won 11 matches and drawn 4 (Lecce 2-2 AC Milan in 1999, AC Milan 2-2 Livorno in 2004, Atalanta 2-2 Lazio in 2000 and Verona 1-1 Roma in 2001).

Inter never beaten in August opener

After 1961/62, 1989/90, 1993/94, 1995/96, 1997/98, 1999/00, 2001/02, 2003/04 and 2005/06, the Serie A championship starts in August for the tenth time since the competition became a one-division championship. In the aforementioned nine seasons Inter have won all of their opening fixtures (6-0 against Atalanta, 2-1 against Cremonese, 2-1 against Reggiana, 1-0 against Vicenza, 2-1 against Brescia, 3-0 against Verona, 4-1 against Perugia, 2-0 against Modena and 3-0 against Treviso). All nine games took place in Milan.

Inter's long scoring streak at home

The Nerazzurri have scored in 38 consecutive home Serie A matches, netting a total of 89 goals. Inter last failed to score in the league on 29 May 2005 when they were held by Reggina on the last day of the season.

Udinese: 30 goals conceded in 16 away games

Udinese have conceded in each of their last 16 competitive fixtures (total 30 goals let in). Their last away match without letting in a goal came on 15 October 2006 when they won 3-0 against Parma.

Five out of six for Inter

Inter have won five and drawn one of their opening matches in the past six Serie A championships. The Nerazzurri defeated Perugia (4-1 in 2001/02), Torino (1-0 in 2002/03), Modena (2-0 in 2003/04), Treviso (3-0 in 2005/06) at home and Fiorentina (3-2 in 2006/07) away, drawing 2-2 at Chievo in 2004/05. Inter's last defeat on an opening day of a Serie A season was on 1 October 2000 when a 2-1 reverse in Reggio Calabria led to the sacking of Marcello Lippi.

Pinzi set for 200th appearance

If he plays against the Nerazzurri, Giampiero Pinzi will make his 200th competitive appearance as a professional player. Besides Udinese, he has played for Lazio. Pinzi, who made his debut in Dynamo Kiev 0-1 Lazio (Champions League) on 2 November 1999, has played 169 times in the Serie A, 19 in the Coppa Italia and 11 in European competitions. He has scored 11 goals, including 2 against the Nerazzurri.

Crespo, Cruz, Solari, Chivu & goals against Udinese

Four Inter players count Udinese as the team they have scored most against in Italy. Crespo, scorer of 181 goals in competitive games, has netted 15 against the Bianconeri. Of his 83 goals for Italian clubs, Cruz has scored 6 against Udinese. Solari and Chivu (both on 6 goals) have each scored twice against the Udine side.

Udinese set to start 13th consecutive season in top flight

The Serie A season about to start is Udinese's 13th consecutive campaign in Italy's top flight - a record for the Friuli-based club. The Bianconeri's longest Serie A spell before that was 8 seasons from 1979/80 ed il 1986/87.

DA IMPLEMENTARE
wins(31) draws(11) defeats(10)

MILAN - Inter opened their defence of the Serie A title with a 1-1 draw against Udinese.

Dejan Stankovic fired Inter ahead early on but the Nerazzurri had to work hard after the second-half dismissal of Julio Cesar.

The Bianconeri equalised in added time when Mesto's header from Pepe's corner went in off Ivan Cordoba.

Udinese's summer signings Floro Flores and Quagliarella combined for the first scoring chance of the game after six minutes. The former Arezzo striker tore down the left and played across the face of the box for the ex-Samp man, whose shot was blocked by Samuel.

Three minutes later Inter opened the scoring from their first attempt on goal. Zlatan Ibrahimovic played in Stankovic with a delightful touch of the ball and the Serb lifted over Udinese shotstopper Chimenti and into the near corner.

Stankovic could have doubled Inter's lead in the 17th minute but he blazed wide after excellent work in the box by Javier Zanetti.

Gyan Asamoah, by far Udinese's most creative player in the opening half, went close twice in a two-minute spell. The Ghanaian forward forced a tipped save from Julio Cesar with a shot on the turn before heading narrowly over from a corner.

Inter dominated the remainder of the first half, with Ibrahimovic, Maicon, Samuel and Cruz all presented with chances to increase the lead.

The most clear-cut chance fell to Cruz who blazed over following superb approach play by Ibra and Stankovic.

A temperature of over 30 degrees Celsius and the usual opening-day-of-the-season tiredness made for a lower-key second half.

Quagliarella went close to an equaliser two minutes in when his low, angled shot whizzed inches wide of the far post.

The Nerazzurri were made to sweat for what seemed like three points when Julio Cesar was shown a straight red card for handling the ball outside his area in an attempt to deny Asamoah a chance from D'Agostino's long ball forward.

Forced to reshuffle his pack, Roberto Mancini brought Toldo on for Cruz and counter-attacking forward David Suazo on for Figo.

He later introduced Cristian Chivu for Olivier Dacourt.

Udinese saw more of the ball and created a series of good chances - most of which fell to Floro Flores - but failed to capitalise on the extra man as the minutes ticked by.

But in the second minute of injury time Mesto's header from a Pepe corner went in off Cordoba to deny the Nerazzurri a deserved victory.

Inter 1-1 Udinese (HT: 1-0)

Scorers: Stankovic 9, Cordoba (o.g.) 90+2.

Inter: 12 Julio Cesar (1 Toldo 58); 13 Maicon, 2 Cordoba, 25 Samuel, 6 Maxwell; 5 Stankovic, 15 Dacourt (26 Chivu 74), 4 Zanetti; 7 Figo (29 Suazo 65); 8 Ibrahimovic, 9 Cruz.
Subs not used: 11 Jimenez, 18 Crespo, 21 Solari, 31 Cesar.
Coach: Roberto Mancini.

Udinese: 25 Chimenti; 20 Mesto, 6 Coda, 2 Zapata, 8 Dossena (24 Lukovic 77); 88 Inler (7 Pepe 80), 4 D'Agostino; 66 Sivok (23 Eremenko 56), 27 Quagliarella, 3 Asamoah; 83 Floro Flores.
Subs not used: 22 Handanovic, 9 Paolucci, 21 Zapotocny, 28 Boudianski.
Coach: Pasquale Marino.

Referee: Luca Banti (Livorno).

Booked: Sivok 34, Maicon 30, Inler 50, Maxwell 84.
Sent off: Julio Cesar 57.

starting lineups

Julio Cesar 12 Chimenti
Maicon 13 Mesto
Cordoba 2 Coda
Samuel 25 Zapata
Maxwell 6 Dossena
Stankovic 5 Inler
Dacourt 15 D'Agostino
Zanetti 4 Sivok
Figo 7 Quagliarella
Ibrahimovic 8 Asamoah
Cruz 9 Floro Flores

substitutes

Toldo 1 Handanovic
Cesar 31 Pepe
Chivu 26 Paolucci
Jimenez 11 Zapotocny
Solari 21 Lukovic
Suazo 29 Boudianksi
Crespo 18 Eremenko