Adriano sends Inter clear of the pack

FC Internazionale Milano went three points clear at the Group B summit after overcoming Anorthosis Famagusta FC thanks to Adriano's second UEFA Champions League goal of the campaign.

Decisive header
Adriano scored a timely goal to seal Inter's 2-0 opening-day triumph against Panathinaikos FC and repeated the feat against a determined Anorthosis side. Just as it seemed that the Cypriot outfit had managed to weather the first-half storm, Adriano struck, his header enough to earn a narrow win as the Nerazzurri's class told.

Beqaj save
José Mourinho had urged his side to avoid complacency against one of the competition's dark horses this season, and heeding those words the hosts immediately sought to assert their authority. They could have gone ahead as early as the fourth minute when Maicon headed over after Arian Beqaj had flapped at a corner from Dejan Stanković, and the latter flashed a low effort just wide himself from range soon after. The Inter threat was much broader, however, and on ten minutes a sweeping move down the right saw Maicon's cross neatly controlled by Mancini, who teed up Sulley Muntari for a shot which Beqaj saved superbly.

Sweeping move
Anorthosis did give Francesco Toldo an early taste of the action when he was forced to repel Traianos Dellas' fierce free-kick, but most of the action was at the other end. Stanković, Esteban Cambiasso and Adriano were weaving neat patterns with swift, one-touch football; Adriano almost capping the deft approach play with a goal when his thumping shot swerved just wide. It was a rare chance, though just as Temuri Ketsbaia's well-drilled defence looked to have reached half-time all-square they fell behind. Zlatan Ibrahimović switched the play to the left flank with a sweeping pass to Maicon, who brought the ball down and sent over a measured inswinger for Adriano to rise and head in from five metres.

Katsavakis chance
It was a big setback the Cypriot side, yet they almost provided the perfect riposte a minute after the restart, though the stretching, unmarked Nicos Katsavakis could not head Jeffrey Leiwakabessy's curling free-kick on target. Inter retaliated in kind, Muntari sending Mancini's cross high and wide, though the hosts' play lacked the rhythm of the first half, their passes now going astray. Shots too, and Ibrahimović should have doubled the lead when Adriano sent him clear on 68 minutes but poked his effort wide.

Anorthosis chances
Anorthosis were still in the match but struggled to escape the confines of their own half. Sávio instigated one rare sortie which Siniša Dobrašinović squandered, dithering too long and inviting the block, while Vincent Laban's attempted lob from 40 metres was ambitious at best. The more likely threat came from set-pieces and Toldo had to be alert to reach Sávio's cross ahead of Lukasz Sosin with ten minutes left. An equaliser would have been harsh on Inter, even if they did fail to sparkle. Ibrahimović saw another shot saved late on, while Quaresma miscontrolled with the goal gaping. Victory was already theirs, however.

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