Inter Milan claimed a crucial 2-0 victory over Feyenoord in the first leg of their Champions League round-of-16 clash on Wednesday. Goals from Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martínez gave the Serie A leaders a strong advantage heading into the return leg in Milan.
Feyenoord started the game with more attacking intent and looked the more dangerous side in the first half. They created early chances, with Ibrahim Osman forcing Inter goalkeeper Josep Martínez into an important save at the near post. Despite Feyenoord’s strong start, Inter struck first against the run of play in the 38th minute. A long cross from Nicolò Barella found Thuram, who finished with an acrobatic volley to put the visitors ahead.
Inter gained confidence after the opening goal and doubled their lead just five minutes into the second half. Lautaro Martínez fired a powerful shot into the top corner, marking his sixth goal of the tournament and his 18th Champions League goal for Inter, making him the club’s all-time top scorer in the competition.
Feyenoord nearly pulled one back when Jakub Moder struck the crossbar, but their hopes of a comeback took another blow when Inter was awarded a penalty in the 60th minute. However, Feyenoord goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther made a great save to deny Piotr Zielinski’s low shot from the spot.
| Statistic | Feyenoord (FEY) | Inter Milan (INT) |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 41.8% | 58.2% |
| Shots on Goal | 5 | 7 |
| Shot Attempts | 8 | 13 |
| Fouls | 15 | 6 |
| Yellow Cards | 3 | 2 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 0 |
| Corner Kicks | 7 | 5 |
| Saves | 5 | 5 |
This loss was a setback for Feyenoord, who are aiming to reach the quarterfinals of the Champions League for the first time since 1971-72. It was also a challenging debut in the competition for their new coach, Robin van Persie.
Inter, three-time European champions, are in a strong position to advance. They will host Feyenoord for the second leg on Tuesday, with the winner set to face either Bayern Munich or Bayer Leverkusen in the quarterfinals.
