LILLE - Inter beat Lille by a goal to nil in this evening's 2011/12 UEFA Champions League match played at the Stadium Lille Métropole in France. The winning goal was scored by Giampaolo Pazzini, who volleyed home in the 21st minute at the end of a great move involving Sneijder and Zarate. The win means Inter are now top of Group B on 6 points after three games.
The Nerazzurri wore their white away strip for the Group B clash in Matchday 3 while the French champions were in their red kit with blue and white horizontal stripes. The temperature was around 10°C with the pitch in perfect condition. Claudio Ranieri had Julio Cesar available again in goal and moved Chivu into the centre of defence alongside Lucio, with Nagatomo and Maicon as full-backs. Zanetti, Thiago Motta and Cambiasso formed the midfield while Sneijder slotted into the hole behind the front two of Pazzini and Zarate. Tonight was the 100th Champions League match both for Inter and Javier Zanetti.
FIRST HALF – The first shot on goal was from fit-again Sneijder, who went for straight for the target from a free kick in the 3rd minute, though it caused little trouble for Enyama. Inter threatened again on 8 minutes as Pazzini beat the offside trap and broke into the area, only for Chediou to get back and make the tackle. The first chance of note for the French side came in the 20th minute, when talented Belgian forward Eden Hazard fired in a low shot that was turned behind by Chivu. A minute later Inter took the lead: Sneijder turned his man and played Zarate in down the left flank, and the Argentine pulled back a cross for Pazzini to volley home on the run. The goal shook some life into Lille and they created two openings in as many minutes: first through Joe Cole and then Hazard, the Nerazzurri defence clearing their lines with some difficulty. Cole was a handful again in the 27th minute, beating a couple of players and releasing a shot, but Lucio managed to get the block in. On 36 minutes Zarate showed what he's capable of as he dribbled past Debuchy at pace and powered his shot goalwards; Basa deflected it just over the bar. Two minutes later Julio Cesar was alert to race off his line and smother the ball at Moussa Sow's feet after an excellent ball from Cole had played the striker in. Chivu went into Webb's book for a sliding challenge on Mavuba in the 41st minute, and the Romanian was soon followed by Chediou for another foul on Pazzini. With half-time approaching, Zarate found himself through on goal with a chance to shoot but he was stopped for offside – a decision that replays showed to be wrong. The first half ended after a minute of stoppage time.
SECOND HALF – The restart began with a fright for the Nerazzurri: a sloppy backpass from Nagatomo very nearly played in speed merchant Sow, who was only denied by Julio Cesar's tackle outside the box. Lille went close again in the 50th minute, when Sow's shot from the edge of the area was clawed away at full stretch by Julio Cesar. A minute later the referee showed Thiago Motta a yellow card for a foul on Hazard. Lille kept piling on the pressure in the final third but the Nerazzurri rear guard held firm. Pedretti also earned himself a booking for a rough challenge on Zarate, then on 62 minutes the French midfielder played a fine ball to Balmont, whose shot from close range was blocked impeccably by Lucio. In the 63rd minute the first two changes were made, with Payet replacing Pedretti and Obi coming on for Zarate. The Lille substitute wasted no time in testing Julio Cesar's reflexes with a curling effort, the Nerazzurri keeper proving he was a match for it with yet another fantastic save. Midway through the half Ranieri brought on Stankovic for the excellent Sneijder, but it was Lille who threatened again as Payet's powerful drive was blocked by the Inter defence. Stankovic almost doubled the lead in the 72nd minute when he met Maicon's pass with a first-time effort that was tipped over the bar by Enyama. Joe Cole made way for Obrianiak on 79 minutes, then Julio Cesar beat Sow to the ball with another timely intervention before the last two subs entered the pitch: Milito for Pazzini and Gueye for Balmont. Lille continued to press for an equaliser and there was a late scare for Inter in the four minutes of added time: Hazard's teasing cross to the far post was palmed behind by the flawless Brazilian in goal as Maicon and Basa collided, the Montenegro defender then crashing painfully into the upright.
So Pazzini's goal proved to be decisive as Lille v Inter ended 0-1. The Nerazzurri's next Champions League match is the reverse fixture with Lille at the Stadio Meazza on Wednesday 2 November.
Lille 0-1 Inter (HT: 0-1)
Scorer: Pazzini 21.
Lille: 16 Enyama; 2 Debuchy, 25 Basa, 22 Chediou, 18
Beria; 4 Balmont (5 Gueye, 81), 24 Mavuba, 17 Pedretti (7 Payet, 63); 26 Cole (11 Obrianiak, 74), 8 Sow, 10 Hazard.
Subs: 30 Mouko, 11 Obrianiak, 14 Rozehnal, 21 Bonmart, 27 Jelen.
Coach: Rudi Garcia.
Inter: 1 Julio Cesar; 13 Maicon, 6 Lucio, 26 Chivu, 55
Nagatomo; 4 Zanetti, 8 Thiago Motta, 19 Cambiasso; 10 Sneijder (5
Stankovic, 67); 7 Pazzini (22 Milito, 81), 28 Zarate (20 Obi, 63).
Subs: 12 Castellazzi, 16 Caldirola, 42 Jonathan, 48 Crisetig.
Coach: Claudio Ranieri.
Referee: Howard Webb (England).
Booked: Chivu 41, Chediou 43, Thiago Motta 51, Pedretti 55.
Added time: 1+4 minutes.
