Final score

29 September 2016 19:00

Sparta Prague
32' (2nd half) Holek
26' Vaclav Kadlec
7' Vaclav Kadlec
3 - 1
Inter
26' (2nd half) Palacio
Referee: Ribeiro Soares Dias / Linesmen: B. Tavares , S. Soares / Fourth official: Pereira dos Santos / Assistants: Ferreira C. Moreira, Lopes Martins
Watch highlights
Minute Text commentary
45' It's half time here in Prague, and Inter have it all to do after Vaclav Kadlec's two first-half goals. 2-0 at the break.
44' Sacek controls a rebound and has a crack, but it flies over the bar.
43' Banega has a crack from distance, but the Sparta Prague defence stands firm.
41' Frydek fires in a cross which falls to Dockal at the back post, but he's standing in an offside position and Inter get the free kick.
39' Palacio scuttles in behind the Sparta defence, but he's flagged offside.
36' Cermak whips in a dangerous cross and Inter have Murillo to thank for an excellent clearance.
34' Vaclav Kadlec swings in a cross from the right, but Holzer is unable to get to the ball.
31' Candreva finds Palacio in space, but the play is pulled back for offside.
26' Sparta make it 2-0. The home side's quick free kick catches Inter cold to find Vaclav Kadlec, who slots home to bag his second of the night.
23' Ranocchia gets up highest at the corner but he can't keep his header on target.
22' Candreva has a crack from the right, but his low shot is deflected behind for a corner.
21' Vaclav Kadlec looks to play the ball back across goal from inside the box, but Murillo gets the block in. Corner kick.
18' Karavaev surges down the right, but Eder does wonderfully to get back and dispossess the Sparta man, winning a goal kick in the process.
14' Indecisive defending from Murillo lets Dockal win the ball and supply a cross for Holzer. D'Ambrosio clears the danger for Inter.
12' Inter look to hit back, Banega trying to pick out Candreva with a raked cross, but Kadlec heads it away before anything can materialise.
7' Sparta Prague take the lead. Felipe Melo cuts out Dockal's pass, but it falls the Kadlec and the striker slots past Handanovic.
6' D'Ambrosio swings in a cross for Palacio in the middle of the box, but the Sparta defence manage to clear the danger.
4' Vaclav Kadlec tries his luck from the left with a low shot across goal, but Samir Handanovic is on his toes and makes an easy save.
1' The match gets underway here at the Generali Arena! The home side take the kick-off. Come on Inter!
1' We're nearly ready for kick-off in this Europa League 2016/17 Matchday 2 clash between Sparta Prague and Inter! The action begins at 19:00.
Minute Text commentary
49' It's all over here. Sparta Prague get the three points after a 3-1 win over the Nerazzurri.
47' Pulkrab gets a booking for a foul on Icardi.
45' There'll be four minutes' added time here.
45' Icardi looks to surprise Koubek from the halfway line, but it doesn't come off.
43' Fantastic through ball from Icardi for Eder, who dinks it just past the post with Koubek rushing out.
42' Sparta make their third and final change, replacing Cermak with Lafata.
42' Eder swings in a cross for Icardi, whose heads towards goal only for the keeper to save.
40' Sparta break though Kadlec, who unleashes a curling shot from the edge of the box. Handanovic saves.
37' Icardi backheels it into Palacio's path, but there's just a little bit too much on it for the Inter No.8.
35' Poor challenge from behind by Vaclav Kadlec on Palacio. The Sparta Prague No.77 is shown a yellow card.
34' Perisic is pulled back by Julis, who earns a yellow card for his troubles.
32' Sparta Prague score. Dockal's free kick is headed down by Mazuch for Holek to nod in and make it 3-1.
31' Ranocchia picks up a second yellow card after a late challenge on Pulkrab. Inter will play out the rest of the game with ten men.
28' Sparta make a change. Pulkrab is on for Michal Kadlec.
27' Felipe Melo has a crack from range, but it's not bothering Koubek's goal.
26' Gooooal! Palacio blows this match wide open! Eder sends the Argentine though on goal and he makes no mistake in slotting past Koubek for 2-1
25' De Boer throws on Mauro Icardi in place of Assane Gnoukouri.
22' Sparta are forced into their first change of the night, Julis coming on to replace the injured Frydek.
20' Frydek is stretchered off after an aerial collision with Felipe Melo.
18' Inter make their second change of the night, Perisic coming on in place of Candreva.
17' Palacio is sent in behind the Sparta Prague defence, but sees his left-footed effort saved by the knee of Koubek.
15' Chance for Eder after Candreva's cross, but the No.23's header is over the bar.
14' The ball is played in for Palacio, but the Argentine can't get it out of his feet.
13' Frydek booked for a foul on Miangue.
11' Frank de Boer makes his first switch of the match, D'Ambrosio coming off to be replaced by Ansaldi.
10' Banega plays in a lovely through ball, but it's between Eder and Candreva and the move fizzles out.
8' Candreva earns a corner, then swings it in for Ranocchia in the centre, but the Italian's header is off target.
7' Michal Kadlec plays in Vaclav Kadlec on the left-hand side of the box, but the striker blazes over from close range.
5' Vaclav Kadlec looks for Holzer from the right, but D'Ambrosio cuts it out.
3' D'Ambrosio swings in a cross from the right, but Koubek claims easily.
2' Sparta Prague threaten again, Holzer nipping past Ranocchia and picking out Karavaev at the back post. Side netting only.
1' Ranocchia picks up an early booking after an aerial clash with Dockal.
1' The second half begins! Neither side have made any half-time changes.
Ranocchia
2.59
2.59
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 X
YOUR RATING
Palacio
4.02
4.02
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 X
YOUR RATING
Handanovic
3.67
3.67
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 X
YOUR RATING
Icardi
5.22
5.22
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 X
YOUR RATING
D'Ambrosio
2.74
2.74
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 X
YOUR RATING
Gnoukouri
3.6
3.6
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 X
YOUR RATING
Murillo
2.81
2.81
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 X
YOUR RATING
Perisic
4.6
4.6
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 X
YOUR RATING
Melo
2.37
2.37
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 X
YOUR RATING
Eder
2.8
2.8
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 X
YOUR RATING
Miangue
3.69
3.69
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 X
YOUR RATING
Banega
3.61
3.61
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 X
YOUR RATING
Ansaldi
5.34
5.34
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 X
YOUR RATING
Candreva
4.55
4.55
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 X
YOUR RATING
Average rating 3.69 SEND RATINGS
5 shots on target 3
4 shots off target 7
11 fouls committed 14
5 corners 5
3 offsides 4
40% ball possession 60%
wins(0) draws(0) defeats(1)

PRAGUE – Inter were beaten 3-1 away at Sparta Prague on Thursday night, leaving Frank de Boer’s side without a point after two rounds of Europa League matches.

Vaclav Kadlec scored twice in the first half to leave Inter with it all to do, and although Rodrigo Palacio pulled one back after the break Mario Holek scored on 77 minutes to sink the Nerazzurri.

Sparta pressed hard right from the kick-off, Danilo D’Ambrosio having to show good reactions to clear a whipped cross from the right in the opening minutes. Yet the home side were determined to land an early blow and they duly found it after just seven minutes: Felipe Melo’s tackle rolled inadvertently into the path of Kadlec, who calmly slotted past Handanovic and into the back of the net.

Inter looked to respond immediately, but they were forced back by Sparta, whose second goal came on 26 minutes. This time it was a quick free kick which caught the Nerazzurri backline napping, allowing Kadlec to gather the ball and fire it home for 2-0.

Try as they might, Inter were unable to create any meaningful chances down the other end, as Sparta took advantage of their pacey wide men to ensure Frank de Boer’s men had one eye on defending at all times.

The second half began in much the same vein, Kadlec coming close to a famous hat-trick only to blaze over the bar from close range.

De Boer threw on Ansaldi, Perisic and captain Mauro Icardi in the hope of salvaging something from the match, and the changes soon bore fruit.

On 71 minutes, Icardi released Eder down the right with a precise, first-time ball. The Italian international got his head up and found Palacio, who took the ball in his stride and calmly stroked it home for 2-1.

The Nerazzurri were right back in the match, but any hopes of a comeback were rocked in the 75th minute as Andrea Ranocchia was shown a second yellow card for a clumsy challenge.

And it was from the resultant free kick that Holek was able to ghost in at the near post to nod home and make it 3-1, leaving Inter with a mountain to climb.

The Nerazzurri battled on, Icardi drawing a save from Koubek with a header before Eder poked just past the post from the captain’s through ball, but there was to be no miracle.

Inter will now look to kick start their Europa League campaign against Southampton at San Siro on Matchday 3.

SPARTA PRAGUE 3-1 INTER (HT: 2-0)
Scorers: Kadlec 7, 26, Palacio 71, Holek 77.

SPARTA PRAGUE: 33 Koubek; 4 Karavaev, 2 Mazuch, 25 Holek, 3 Kadlec (Pulkrab 73); 17 Cermak (Lafata 87), 14 M. Frydek (Julis 65), 16 Sacek, 22 Holzer; 9 Dockal; 77 Kadlec.
Subs not used: 27 Miller, 45 Havelka, 46 Kadlec, 47 Kosti.
Coach: David Holoubek.

INTER: 1 Handanovic; 33 D'Ambrosio (Ansaldi 55), 13 Ranocchia, 24 Murillo, 95 Miangue; 27 Gnoukouri (Icardi 70), 5 Melo; 87 Candreva (Perisic 62), 19 Banega, 23 Eder; 8 Palacio.
Subs not used: 30 Carrizo, 17 Medel, 25 Miranda, 91 Zonta.
Coach: Frank de Boer.

Yellow cards: Ranocchia 46, 75, Frydek 58, Julis 78, Kadlec 77, Pulkrab 90+1.
Red cards: Ranocchia 75.

Added time: 0 + 4 minutes.

Referee: Ribeiro Soares Dias.
Assistants: Barbosa Tavares, Santos Soares.
Fourth official: Dos Santos Tomas Pereira.
Additional assistants: Ferreira C. Moreira Miguel, Lopes Martins.

starting lineups

Koubek 33 1 Handanovic
Karavaev 4 33 D'Ambrosio
Mazuch 2 13 Ranocchia
Holek 25 24 Murillo
Michal Kadlec 3 95 Miangue
Cermak 17 27 Gnoukouri
Frydek 14 5 Melo
Sacek 16 87 Candreva
Holzer 22 19 Banega
Dockal 9 23 Eder
Vaclav Kadlec 77 8 Palacio

substitutes

Miller 27 30 Carrizo
Lafata 21 9 Icardi
Pulkrab 24 15 Ansaldi
Julis 30 17 Medel
Havelka 45 25 Miranda
Milan Kadlec 46 44 Perisic
Kostl 47 91 Zonta