Mancini And Adriano Sink Pana

Panathinaikos 0-2 Inter

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was in inspirational form, creating both goals for Mancini and Adriano, as Inter defeated a spirited Panathinaikos side 2-0 in Athens in the opening game of Champions League Group B.

Team News

Panathinaikos were making their return to the Champions League following a two-year absence from Europe’s biggest stage. The Greek giants, now coached by Dutchman Henk Ten Cate, were minus the services of Vangelis Mantzios, but Giorgios Karagounis returned to play against his former club in a 4-3-3 system.

Inter were without the injured Walter Samuel, Nelson Rivas, Dejan Stankovic, Luis Jimenez, and Christian Chivu, as well as the suspended Nicolas Burdisso. Ivan Cordoba made his return after seven months on the sidelines and partnered Marco Materazzi at centre back. Patrick Vieira also returned to take Sulley Muntari’s place in midfield, while Ricardo Quaresma, Mancini and Zlatan Ibrahimovic forged a trident strikeforce. Adriano was on the bench.

First Half

Panathinaikos had the first attempt of the game on three minutes as Bryce Moon let fly from long range but it was easy for Julio Cesar.

Inter were a little disjointed at the start. Gilberto’s header off a corner caused problems before it was cleared away, while Mattos fired in a 30-yard free kick well wide.

However, on 10 minutes the away side had a glorious chance to take the lead. Maicon threaded through a perfect pass for Ibrahimovic who was clean through on goal, but the Swede’s finish was awful as he skewed the ball miles wide.

Moments later Ibra nodded the ball on for Quaresma, who unleashed a swerving half volley from 25 yards, but Mario Galinovic flew to his left to make a superb low fingertip save around the post. From the ensuing corner Materazzi volleyed over.

Inter started to gain a foothold, and Quaresma tried his luck with a trademark trivela from 30 yards, but this time it was straight at Galinovic.

The Croatian goalkeeper was a busy man, and he flew to his left again on 18 minutes to palm away a fine Ibrahimovic effort.

On 26 minutes, Inter finally broke the deadlock through Mancini following some majestic build-up play by Ibrahimovic. The Swede bullied Simao off the ball, beat two more men before laying the ball off to Mancini, who side-footed the ball past Galinovic for his first goal since arriving from Roma in the summer.

Panathinaikos tried to hit back, and Moon unleashed a long shot which Julio Cesar tipped over the bar. Moon had a good chance a few minutes later, as he caught Vieira napping with a clever run around the back, but the South African overrun the ball when he would have been through on goal.

On 35 minutes the home side were forced into a change when Karagounis, who didn’t look fully fit, had to be replaced by Austrian national team captain Andreas Ivanschitz.

Moon had been Panathinaikos’ best player in the first half, and he tried to catch Julio Cesar out from a narrow angle, but the Brazilian was alert. Three minutes before the break Moon was desperately unlucky not to equaliser as his left footed effort from 20 yards, deflected off Materazzi and looped over a stranded Julio Cesar, only to then crash off the crossbar.

Panathinaikos were coming really strong as half time approached, and there was still time for Cleyton to hammer another shot from outside the area, which this time flew over.

Second Half

Into the second half, and Panathinaikos came out with intent, with Ivanschitz testing Julio Cesar with a left-foot stinger.

On 52 minutes, the Greeks should have been level following a wonderful three man move that ended with Cleyton whipping a 15-yard shot just inches past the post.

Inter were getting deeper and deeper, and just seemed happy to play out for a 1-0 win. The nippy Salpigidis lost Cambiasso before he sliced the ball wide from outside the area. Gilberto then also tried his luck from long range, but as is usually the case with the former Arsenal man he did not have his shooting boots on.

Moon almost had a great chance just past the hour mark, but Cordoba made a crucial last gasp challenge on Moon. Vyntra then lashed over the bar, as it was all Panathinaikos.

Mourinho knew he needed to make some changes, and introduced Luis Figo and Sulley Muntari for Quaresma and Vieira.

Ivanschitz curled a deflected free kick over the bar as the home side continued to do all the attacking, while Vyntra also headed over from a corner.

It took until the 73rd minute for Inter to have their first attempt of the second half as Figo did well down the left, and lifted the ball up to the far post for Mancini, who saw his sweet volley deflected over.

Inter were still living dangerously, and a slack pass by Maxwell gifted the ball to Mattos, whose low 25-yard shot was fingertipped around the post by Julio Cesar.

Both teams made their final changes on 81 minutes, as Adriano made his Champions League return for Inter in place of Mancini, with Souza coming on for Moon for the home side.

It was an inspired substitution by Mourinho, as just a couple of minutes later Adriano latched onto Ibrahimovic's wonderful pass, and finished clinically past Galinovic to make it 2-0 and thus kill off the game.

The remaining minutes of the game were played out with little incident, as Inter and Jose Mourinho kicked off their Champions League campaign in the perfect manner.

Teams

Panathinaikos: Galinovic; Vyntra, Simao, Goumas, Nilsson (Hristodoulopoulos 72); Moon (Souza 81), Gilberto Silva, Mattos, Cleyton, Salpigidis, Karagounis (Ivanschitz 35)

Inter: Julio Cesar; Maicon, Cordoba, Materazzi, Maxwell; Zanetti, Cambiasso, Vieira (Muntari 62); Quaresma (Figo 62), Ibrahimovic, Mancini (Adriano 81)