Match Review: Ludogorets 0 - 2 Inter

RAZGRAD – Inter are returning home from Razgrad victorious. Lukaku’s left-footed penalty added to Eriksen’s right-footed finish earlier on in the second half to give the Nerazzurri an important win. It was a match where the Danish midfielder really showed his incredible ability on the ball. Eriksen brought out his full repertoire as he distributed it cleverly and precisely, also threatening with powerful efforts placed to perfection towards the opposition goal. And to top it off, he bagged his first Inter goal. He could have scored more too. His personal duel with Ludogorets goalkeeper Iliev ended with one great save, a lovely finish and a crossbar that is still rattling.

A magician right at the heart of the Nerazzurri’s attacking play. There have never been any concerns about him, as Antonio Conte has explained. Christian Eriksen is classy and experienced, something which makes him doubly important during away trips in Europe. At exactly the right time, he was able to lend the team a helping hand through the quality he possesses. The shooting ability he has from range was there for all to see. And we’d already observed this before: during the Derby, he smacked the bar with a magnificent free kick from more than 30 yards out. In Razgrad, he first took aim with his left, then fired home with his right and finally hit the woodwork with another left-footed strike. The ability to shoot in this manner with both feet is not a quality which every player possesses. Most importantly, he was able to give the Nerazzurri impetus in a match where finding a route through a packed Ludogorets defence was vital.

Because make no mistake: this was a complicated match and it was difficult to find a way through. At the other end, Vrba’s team rarely threatened, only registering one effort on goal which flashed past the post in the second half. The hosts had no shots on target compared to six from Inter. Most notably, Antonio Conte’s men had 16 efforts in total. That said, the Nerazzurri did struggle in the first half, with Ludogorets getting back in numbers when out of possession. Inter looked to find a way through by keeping the ball on the floor. The 55.7% ball possession they enjoyed and the number of passes they made (544) are proof of this. In the first half, Inter did most of their attacking down the right flank as Moses continually posed a threat deep in the Bulgarians’ half. In the second period, it was a different story: Biraghi took centre stage down the left wing.

There were two men in the engine room of Inter’s side who really made the team tick last night. First of all, Borja Valero, who came so close to perfection in terms of passes completed, with 71 successful from 73 attempts. A true maestro’s performance, also vital in defence as he made 13 ball recoveries and formed a fundamental part of our defensive shape. Supporting him with a superb showing in which his experience really shone through: Diego Godin. Unbeatable in defence with four tackles, seven clearances and six interceptions, our Uruguayan often led the charge as he carried the ball into the opposition half, playing a total of 93 passes and being involved in 17 duels, of which he won 70%. A truly dominant performance to inspire the team to success.

As has been highlighted before, the Nerazzurri’s second half was much more intense, with a faster pace which brought more chances with it. Sanchez’s energy proved especially important in finding holes to work with. Lukaku’s entrance to the game asked real questions of the Bulgarian defence: our Belgian helping create the first goal with a deft touch to set up Eriksen’s finish. He then sealed the win with the goal to make it 2-0: his 14th on the road this season.

This successful trip to Razgrad sends an important message after the two defeats to Napoli and Lazio. Conte also changed the side’s shape in the closing stages of the game, switching to 4-3-1-2 with Young as a traditional left-back (a position he played for both England and Manchester United). An evening full of indications that this Inter team is one capable of shaking off any possible doubts, and one which wants to continue moving forwards no matter what difficulties they might encounter.