Final score

22 October 2008 20:45

Inter
44' Adriano
Anorthosis
Referee: Howard Melton Webb / Linesmen: Darren Cann, Michael Mullarkey / Fourth official: Steve Tannerq
Minute Text commentary
46' Inter lead Anorthosis by a goal to nil at the break.
46' Free kick to Inter. Costantinou almost scores an own goal, heading behind Mancini's left-wing cross.
45' 1 minute of added time.
44' GOOOOAAAALLLL!!!!!!! Adriano heads home Maicon's right-wing cross, and we're in front at the Giuseppe Meazza. INTER 1-0 ANORTHOSIS.
42' Bardon's low cross from the right is smothered by Francesco Toldo.
36' Ibrahimovic's splendid whipped cross from the right forces Beqaj into a diving save.
34' Trainos Dellas shoots from 25 yards. His sliced effort isn't far wide of the right-wing corner flag.
33' Costantinou, the only Cypriot on the pitch, makes a headed clearance from Maicon's right-wing cross to thwart Ibra.
31' A corner for Inter as Mancini's long-range effort comes off Costantinou.
28' Mancini whips in a cross from the left. It's too long for Ibrahimovic.
27' Back under the Curva Sud, Ibrahimovic capitalises on a defensive mistake by Dellas and has a cracking shot saved by Beqaj.
26' Maicon dispossesses his compatriot Savio as Anorthosis venture into our half of the pitch.
23' It's all Inter at the Meazza. Adriano has a shot blocked.
22' Magic from Ibra. The Swede controls Cambiasso's pass with his right heel and then sends an angled left-foot shot wide of the target.
18' Constantinou gets a boot to Muntari's quick cross, denying Mancini a clear chance on goal.
17' Adri unleashes a left-footer from 25 yards after meeting Muntari's ball square, but he drags his shot wide of Beqaj's left-hand post.
16' More flowing football from Inter. Adriano fires wide after some brilliant approach play by Stankovic and Cambiasso.
13' Stankovic just fails to get on the end of Ibrahimovic's floated cross-shot from the right as Inter maintain their push for an early goal.
11' A very ambitious shot from Mancini (about 35 yards out). It ends up in the Curva Sud.
10' Brilliant move by the Nerazzurri. Adriano surges down the right and lays off to Maicon who floats in a cross. At the far post Mancini taps back to Sulley Muntari, whose shot is blocked by the right foot of Beqaj.
9' Another chance for Inter as Ibra holds off a challenge and passes square to Adriano, but the Brazilian overhits his through ball for Mancini.
7' Dejan Stankovic, who scored a brilliant goal against Roma at the weekend, rifles over the bar from 30 yards out.
6' At the other end, Mancini beats the offside trap but fails to control Adriano's long pass.
5' Dellas' thunderous low effort from the free kick is punched clear by Francesco Toldo, in for Julio Cesar tonight.
5' The Anorthosis fans get vocal as their team win two corners in quick succession.
4' The Cypriots win a free kick around 30 metres from goal after a Muntari foul on Savio.
3' An early chance for Inter as Maicon beats Anorthosis keeper Beqaj to Mancini's left-wing corner before heading wide.
2' Mancini has a shot blocked by Serbian defender Ocokoljic after a pass from Muntari.
1' Welcome to the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza for tonight's Champions League Group B top-of-the-table clash between Inter and Anorthosis Famagusta.
1' Away we go in San Siro. Inter kick off.
1' Here are the lineups: <br>Inter: Toldo; Maicon, Cordoba, Chivu, Zanetti; Stankovic, Cambiasso, Muntari; Adriano, Ibra, Mancini.<br> Anorthosis: Beqaj; Ocokoljic; Katsavakis, Constantinou, Leiwakabessy; Dobrasinovic, Dellas; Bardon, Savio, Laban; Sosin.
1' The teams are out warming up and Anorthosis have brought loads of fans along with them - there's half of Cyprus in the Curva Sud.
1' Defending Italian champions Inter beat the Greeks in Matchday 1 before drawing at home to Bremen three weeks ago.
1' Anorthosis, who won four games out of six in the qualifying rounds, are the surprise team of the Champions League so far, having beaten Panathinaikos at home after holding Werder Bremen in Germany.
Minute Text commentary
48' Full time. Inter 1-0 Anorthosis Famagusta.
48' Quaresma wins us a corner deep in added time after a counter-attack launched by Ibra.
45' 3 minutes of added time.
45' Back in our half, Hawar Taher sends a long-range over Toldo's crossbar.
44' Julio Cruz drills a low shot inches wide of Beqaj's right-hand post.
43' Anorhosis bring on Nikolaos Frousos for Sinisa Dobrasinovic
43' Ocokoljic delivers a right-wing cross. Chivu boots out for a throw.
40' Ibrahimovic's low shot from 25 yards is saved by Beqaj.
39' Ocokoljic blocks Quaresma's angled shot from the left as Inter look to make the result safe.
38' ...and Nicolas Burdisso for the injured Esteban Cambiasso.
37' José makes a double change: Julio Cruz for Adriano...
36' Ibra and Adri combine well but the Brazilian's final pass for Quaresma is intercepted.
34' French midfielder Vincent Laban tries to lob Toldo from 30 yards, but there's no fooling Francesco.
33' Quaresma's cross-shot from the right is caught by Beqaj.
31' Anorthosis make their second switch: Klimenti Tsitaishvili replaces Cédric Bardon.
30' Quaresma darts into the box from the right and tries a trivela. It's high and wide.
28' Bardon tries to dribble through a wall of Nerazzurri players. Needless to say, he is unsuccessful. Inter hit straight back and Muntari heads over.
25' Stankovic tries an overhead kick. There's not much power in it, and Constantinou heads behind for a corner.
23' Great chance for the Nerazzurri. Ibra runs on to a pass from Adriano, takes the ball into the box and slots wide of the far post with just Beqaj to beat.
18' Substitution time. Quaresma comes on for Mancini.
17' Katsavakis is booked for a foul on Adriano.
16' At the other end Maicon makes a headed clearance from a Savio cross.
15' Muntari wins the ball off Constantinou on the left and crosses into the six-yard box. Ibrahimovic's effort is off-target.
13' Ibrahimovic shoots straight at Beqaj after a darting run to the edge of the box.
8' Another chance for the Nerazzurri. Beqaj intercepts Ibrahimovic's fast low cross, denying Adriano a tap-in.
4' And Inter go close to doubling their lead through Muntari, who heads over a right-wing cross from Mancini.
2' Anorthosis close to an equaliser as Katsavakis heads over Savio's free kick.
1' Anorthosis kick off the second half.
1' The Cypriots have brought on Hawar Taher for Lukasz Sosin.
Zanetti
6.92
6.92
Cordoba
6.94
6.94
Toldo
7.35
7.35
Adriano
8.26
8.26
Cruz
6.33
6.33
Stankovic
6.88
6.88
Cambiasso
7.65
7.65
Burdisso
5.86
5.86
Maicon
7.97
7.97
Ibrahimovic
7.39
7.39
Chivu
6.85
6.85
Mancini
5.64
5.64
Muntari
6.97
6.97
Quaresma
5.88
5.88
Average rating 6.92
4 shots on target 1
16 shots off target 7
21 fouls committed 15
13 corners 2
3 offsides 8
29:02 ball possession 25:45
Inter v Anorthosis

The two clubs meet in a competitive fixture for the first time.

Inter v Cypriot clubs

Inter face Cypriot opposition for the second time in their history after the 1993/94 UEFA Cup round of 32 tie with Apollon Limassol. The Nerazzurri progressed through to the round of sixteen thanks to a home win and an away draw.

Details:
1993/94 Coppa Uefa Inter-Apollon Limassol 1-0 3-3

Anorthosis v Italian clubs

The Cypriots have faced teams from Italy on four occasions (all in the UEFA Cup), losing all four games and conceding a total of 16 goals.

Details:
1992/93 UEFA Cup Anorthosis-Juventus 0-4 1-6
2005/06 UEFA Cup Anorthosis-Palermo 0-4 1-2

Adriano Inter's outright top scorer in UCL/European Cup

With his goal against Panthainaikos in Matchday 1, Adriano Leite Ribeiro has become Inter's outright top scorer in the Champions League/European Cup. The Brazilian has scored 17 goals in the competition, one more than Sandro Mazzola (16 goals) and five more than Julio Cruz (12). Hernan Crespo (11) shares fourth place with Jair in the list of all-time scorers.

Inter goalless in one of last 17 games

Inter have failed to score in just one of their last 17 outings: AC Milan 1-0 Inter on 28 September 2008. The Nerazzurri have scored in each of the other 16 games, netting a total of 29 goals.

Italian clubs unbeaten, always on target against Cypriot clubs

There have been 18 past meetings between Italian and Cypriot clubs in European competitions, with 15 wins for teams from Italy and 3 draws. In these 18 matches Italian teams have scored 56 goals. On Italian soil, Cypriot teams have lost 9 out of 9.

Anorthosis without away goal in cup for 257 minutes

Anorthosis Famagusta last scored away from home in Europe when Laban scored in the 13th minute of their 3-1 away defeat to Rapid Vienna in the Champions League qualifying round on 6 August. A total of 257 minutes have elapsed since that goal (remaining 77 minutes of that match plus 1-0 away defeat to Olympiakos and 0-0 draw at Werder Bremen).

The ref: Howard Webb

English referee Howard Webb was born in Rotherham on 14 July 1971. He has been an international referee since 2005. Matchday 3 at San Siro is Webb's third of the European season after Fiorentina 2-0 Slavia Praga in the third qualifying round and Shakhtar Donetsk 1-2 Barcelona in Matchday 2. In 3 games refereed by Webb, Italian clubs have won 2 and lost 1. He has never taken charge of a game involving Inter or a Cypriot club.

DA IMPLEMENTARE
wins(1) draws(0) defeats(0)

MILAN - Adriano headed in the winner as the Nerazzurri saw off Anorthosis Famagusta in Matchday 3.

The Brazilian striker, Inter's all time top scorer in the Champions League, took his tally to 18 with a well taken goal just before the break.

The result sees Mourinho's men open up a three-point gap at the top of Group B, with Panathinaikos drawing 2-2 at home to Werder Bremen in tonight's other match.

Anorthosis had the first shot on target with Francesco Toldo, in for Julio Cesar, making a punched clearance from Dellas' well struck free kick.

From then on in it was all Inter, and Stankovic tried a repeat of his goal against Roma at the weekend, scything just over from 25 yards.

Muntari had a shot saved by Beqaj's foot after a brilliant move involving Brazilian trio Adriano, Maicon and Mancini as Inter pinned back the Cypriots.

Front men Adriano and Ibrahimovic then had two chances each before the Emperor rose unmarked in the box to head home a cross from Maicon, who turned Savio in the box after Ibrahimovic's crossfield pass.

Anorthosis saw more of the ball after the restart and went close to an equaliser through Katsavakis in the opening minutes. But the Nerazzurri stayed in control and created chances to build on their lead, with Muntari heading over a Mancini cross and Ibrahimovic slotting wide of the far post before substitute Julio Cruz drilled inches wide in the final stages.

Inter 1-0 Anorthosis Famagusta (HT: 1-0)

Scorer: Adriano 44.

Inter: 1 Toldo; 13 Maicon, 2 Cordoba, 26 Chivu, 4 Zanetti; 5 Stankovic, 19 Cambiasso (16 Burdisso 83), 20 Muntari; 10 Adriano (9 Cruz 82), 8 Ibrahimovic, 33 Mancini (77 Quaresma 63).
Subs not used: 12 Julio Cesar, 23 Materazzi, 39 Santon, 45 Balotelli.
Coach: José Mourinho.

Anorthosis Famagusta: 1 Beqaj; 22 Ocokoljic; 4 Katsavakis, 24 Constantinou, 12 Leiwakabessy; 6 Dobrasinovic (11 Frousos 88), 33 Dellas; 27 Bardon (16 Tsitaishvili 76), 17 Savio, 20 Laban; 9 Sosin (19 Taher 46).
Subs not used: 30 Nagy, 21 Panagi, 23 Samaras, 67 Theodotou.
Coach: Temuri Ketsbaia.

Referee: Howard Webb (England).

Booked: Katsavakis 62.

starting lineups

Toldo 1 Beqaj
Maicon 13 Ocokoljic
Cordoba 2 Katsavakis
Chivu 26 Costantinou
Zanetti 4 Leiwakabessy
Stankovic 5 Dobrasinovic
Cambiasso 19 Dellas
Muntari 20 Bardon
Adriano 10 Savio
Ibrahimovic 8 Laban
Mancini 33 Sosin

substitutes

Julio Cesar 12 Nagy
Cruz 9 Frousos
Burdisso 16 Tsitaishvili
Materazzi 23 Taher
Balotelli 45 Panagi
Quaresma 77 Samaras
Santon 39 Theodotou