Rate it!

6 votes

Jose Mourinho's Internazionale were held to a 1-1 draw in their Champions League Group B clash with Werder Bremen.

At the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in Milan, Inter defender Maicon put the hosts ahead with a delightful 13th minute strike before on-loan striker Claudio Pizarro - one of Mourinho's former charges at Chelsea - levelled for Bremen just after the hour mark.

Inter flew out of the blocks and could have opened the scoring moments after kick-off when Adriano launched a spectacular scissors kick from Zlatan Ibrahimovic's deep cross that flew just over the bar.

The Brazilian turned provider minutes later, this time feeding Ibrahimovic with a deep cross of his own which Adriano controlled beautifully on his chest before volleying goalwards. Only a deflection behind for a corner prevented his effort from reaching its intended target.

Adriano hustled and bustled until his withdrawal with 12 minutes to go and finally, after a lengthy spell in the doldrums which culminated in an enforced loan spell with Sao Paulo, Il Imperatore appears to approaching the kind of form that once made him one of the most exciting strikers in the world.

Unsurprisingly, he had a hand in the opening goal, although it was the unfortunate Frank Bauman who ultimately directed the ball into Maicon's path after making a challenge on the Inter striker. The Brazilian full-back surged forward before delicately chipping over the advancing Tim Weise to put Inter into the lead.

Bremen - one of the Bundesliga's most free-scoring teams this season - took a while to get into their stride, but as the first half wore on, they began to find ways through Inter's defence, which had been stripped of Marco Materazzi through injury early on.

And with five minutes of the opening period remaining, Pizarro went mighty close to levelling things up, clumsily prodding a bouncing effort from Sebastian Prodl's cross against an upright.

Bright young prospect Mesut Ozil then brought Julio Cesar into action with a sharp shot from 25 yards - the Inter keeper found it too hot too hang on to and had to scramble to claim at the second time of asking - before he was again tested by Ozil soon after the break. But this time, the Brazilian was able to hold on to the shot at the first attempt.

Nevertheless, Bremen were able to maintain their head of steam and they drew level on 62 minutes, Pizarro sliding in at the far post to meet Ozil's back post cross to record his fourth goal since penning a loan deal with the Bundesliga side.

But a point was all Bremen wanted from the match, and the visitors sat back as the game wore on in a bid to hold on to their lead.

Those tactics nearly backfired when Maicon made another burst from the back with just two minutes remaining to fire another shot on target. With Weise well beaten, the German side had to rely on the woodwork to come to their rescue as the ball brushed the outside of the post and went behind for a goal kick.

But there was still time for Bremen to make one last bid for a winner, albeit against the run of play and from a set piece. Naldo struck a well-worked dead ball goalwards and Julio Cesar could only parry the ball into Pizarro's path, but the Peruvian's effort was lashed wide of the mark.

With that went Bremen's hopes of getting anything more than a point from the game, although Thomas Schaaf would likely have left the happier of the two managers.

Anorthosis Famagusta 3-1 Panathinaikos

Famagusta registered their first win in the group stage of the Champions League with a 3-1 victory over Greek side Panathinaikos.

An own goal in the 11th minute from Panathinaikos defender Jose Sarriegi set the Cypriot side, making their debut in the group stage of the competition this season, on their way and four minutes later Sinisa Dobrasinovic rose above the defence to head home the second.

Dimitris Salpigidis pulled one back for Panathinaikos with a 28th minute penalty after Jeffrey Leiwakabessy handled in the area.

Panathinaikos pressed for an equaliser in the second half but Anorthosis wrapped up the points when Hawar Taher headed home from a corner in the 78th minute.

Mike Hytner and Reuters / Eurosport