MILAN - An 89th-minute header by Rodrigo Palacio gave Inter all three points in their 2012/13 UEFA Europa League Matchday 3 clash with Partizan Belgrade. The Argentine striker came off the bench on the half-hour mark to replace Coutinho, a real handful for the Serbians before being forced off injured. Lazar Markovic struck the post on 21 minutes and was denied by a fantastic save from Handanovic, which led to El Trenza scoring from the resulting counter-attack less than a minute later.
The win takes the Nerazzurri up to 7 points in Group H alongside Rubin Kazan, while Neftchi and Partizan Belgrade remain on 1 point.
Inter
1-0 Partizan Belgrade (HT: 0-0)
Scorer: Palacio 88.
Inter: 1 Handanovic; 6
Silvestre, 7 Coutinho (Palacio 31), 14 Guarin, 16 Mudingayi, 19
Cambiasso, 31 Pereira, 40 Juan Jesus, 42 Jonathan, 88 Livaja (Zanetti 52), 99 Cassano (Milito 76).
Unused subs: 27
Belec, 21 Gargano, 23 Ranocchia, 25 Samuel.
Coach:
Andrea Stramaccioni.
Partizan Belgrade: 30
Petrovic; 2 A.Miljkovic, 3 Volkov, 4 Medo, 7 Tomic (S. Markovic 80), 15 Ivanov, 22 S.Ilic (Jojic 76), 40 Ostojic, 45
Mitrovic (S. Scepovic 66), 50 L. Markovic, 99 Smiljanic.
Unused subs: 33 R.Ilic, 17 Sretenovic, 18 A.Lazevski, 44
M.Scepovic.
Coach: Vladimir Vermezovic.
Referee: Liran Liany
(ISR).
Assistants: Nahmias, Biton.
Fourth official:
Bornshtein.
Additional assistants: Masiah, Reinshreiber.
Booked: Silvestre 33, Medo 33, Tomic 44, Jonathan 47, Ivanov 66, Scepovic 89.
Added time: 1+3 minutes.