Inter Milan maintained their perfect start to the Champions League season with a 4-0 win over Union Saint-Gilloise.
Inter Milan continued their perfect start to the Champions League season with a convincing 4-0 win over Union Saint-Gilloise.
The Italian giants were keen to forget last season’s final, where they were thrashed 5-0 by Paris St-Germain, and they swept Union aside with a strong performance.
Denzel Dumfries opened the scoring in the 41st minute, taking advantage of a scramble in the Union box to lash home from close range. Lautaro Martinez doubled Inter’s lead just before the break, sweeping past Kjell Scherpen to finish off a blistering counter-attack and grab his third Champions League goal of the season.
Hakan Calhanoglu added a third from the penalty spot after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review showed Kevin Mac Allister had blocked a header by Martinez with his hand. Francesco Pio Esposito redeemed himself after missing an open goal, poking in Ange-Yoan Bonny’s cut-back to seal the win.
Union Saint-Gilloise had enjoyed a bright start, forcing a goalline clearance from Martinez and creating chances through Promise David and Mathias Rasmussen. However, Inter’s defense held firm, and Yann Sommer made crucial saves to keep the Belgian side at bay.
Inter’s clinical performance saw them feature four different goalscorers, showcasing their attacking prowess. Cristian Chivu’s side is now second in the 36-team league phase, level on points with last season’s champions PSG and Arsenal.
The win maintains Inter’s perfect start to the Champions League season, and they will look to build on this momentum in their next fixture against Kazakh club Kairat Almaty at the San Siro on November 5.
Union Saint-Gilloise, ranked 23rd, will travel to Atletico Madrid on November 4, looking to bounce back from this defeat and regain their footing in the competition.
