Champions League - Inter struggle to point

Eurosport - Tue, 29 Sep 22:52:00 2009

Ten-man Internazionale had to battle back for a point as they drew 1-1 with Rubin Kazan in Group F of the Champions League.

FOOTBALL 2009-2010 Champions League Rubin Kazan's Dominguez scores a goal past Inter Milan's Samuel during their Champions League soccer match at the Centra... - 0

The Italian champions went behind to a brilliant early Alejandro Dominguez strike before Dejan Stankovic levelled just before the half-hour mark.

But Italian hopes that Jose Mourinho's side would find a winner faded with the sending off of Mario Balotelli in the 61st minute for a second bookable offence.

With a man extra it was Rubin who went in search of a winner, but Inter's defence held firm in the face of a late onslaught.

It was the Russian side's first point in their first Champions League campaign, while Inter have now gathered just two points from their opening two matches.

The Russian champions, back by a vociferous crowd in Kazan, took the game to their more glamorous opponents and were rewarded for their efforts with the opener on 11 minutes.

And what an opener it was. Argentine forward Dominguez picked up possession just inside the opposition half before taking the most direct route to goal, skinning both Lucio and Walter Samuel for pace before slamming a shot into the roof of the net.

The hosts could have doubled their lead just seven minutes later, Cesar Navas heading over from Dominguez's cross when the Spaniard should have at least forced Julio Cesar into making a save.

Rubin were to rue that miss as Inter began to assert some pressure for the first time in the game. Samuel Eto'o gave a glimpse of what he is capable of with a close range shot on 19 minutes before Stankovic put Mourinho's side back on level terms in the 27th minute.

The Serb midfielder gratefully headed home from Maicon's right-wing delivery but questions will surely be asked of the home side's marking.

Balotelli rattled the woodwork just before the half-hour mark with a cross-shot that deceived keeper Sergei Ryzhikov but the youngster was largely a peripheral figure during the first half.

Indeed, the Italy striker remains far from the finished article and is just as likely to infuriate as he is to excite - a flaw his sending off demonstrated.

Having taken a few early kicks from the Rubin defence, a petulant kick earned Balotelli a first-half booking and a second caution - for another needless challenge on Christian Noboa - prompted his dismissal on 61 minutes.

With a man extra Rubin looked capable of causing a real upset: efforts by Cristian Ansaldi, Aleksandr Bukharov and Aleksandr Ryazantsev proved as much.

Dominguez then brought a smart save out of Cesar from a free-kick before Bukharov missed a wonderful chance glory with 11 minutes remaining.

But the best chance of the dying moments fell to the influential Sergei Semak, whose low shot from close range cannoned off an upright with Cesar well and truly beaten.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport

Comment 1 - 19 of 19

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  1. etoo is the best player in inter .some one said that­ etoo is nothing without xavi, iniesta.now i ask the­ question who is ibra without xavi , iniesta. can etoo­ play 11 players alone .from the last match etoo gave­ two important passes he was really outstanding.why is­ that poeple can not appreciate someones talent if he is­ talented.i have noticed inter players dont want to pass­ the ball to etoowhen he is in a position to score.inter­ cannot succeed ifthe players dont unite as one with one­ goal.for example stankovic is selfish.he scores but­ does not make others to score.etoo is not an enemy to­ inter . let morinho do something about this. balotteli­ is not objective and should be benched for the whole­ year.

    From hilary, on Tue 6 Oct 7:38PM

  2. I don't know why inter players don't want to­ pass the ball to ETO'O.Everyone want to score but­ that idea is not a good idea because is not good for­ the team.If someone is in good position gave him the­ ball.If inter players continue with these bad ideas­ they will not go anywhere.

    From latifou, on Fri 2 Oct 5:32AM

  3. @ #14, so you are admiting that eto'o is nothing­ without the assists of Xavi and the rest of Barcelona­ players. So you are admiting that???? And That is what­ I have been saying all along, eto'o is nothing­ without Barca players to help him.

    From indonoob, on Wed 30 Sep 5:56PM

  4. Inter is nothing now that Zlatan is gone, he was the­ reason of their success

    From matty27b, on Wed 30 Sep 11:05AM

  5. It should have said since 1997...lol

    From Diehard Italian Fan, on Wed 30 Sep 9:34AM

  6. We were shocking last night, yet again Jose is a c ock.­ He plays a crappy formation and we should have been­ beaten. what is it with Inter managers and s hite­ formations in the UCL? Every year since about 1887 we­ have always had a squad good enough to win it and the­ closest we came was 2003 losing to the red scum. If we­ don't go out due to multiple ref errors its crappy­ formations. We should just play our own game, show no­ respect to the opposition and spank anybody and­ everybody. When we score once we should want another­ goal and so if you get my drift. Eto was poor last­ night, Balotelli thinks he is Italian and is a fekking­ liability with too much ego and arrogance, Chivu is too­ one-footed although we always play him out of position.­ Thats another thing that piss es me off about Jose,­ always playing people out of position, santon our­ Italian left back should have started last night....ffs­ Jose out if we don't win all of our 4 remaining­ games including Barca away......bring back Mancini he­ was getting us there at least...and he is Italian.

    From Diehard Italian Fan, on Wed 30 Sep 9:33AM

  7. I am from russia and i truely say rubin deserved the­ win i am with barca in the CL and i always been with it­ inter thought this game would finish up like 3-0 for­ them but rubin surprized us and showed us they are­ capable of beeting even inter so go rubin hope u­ quelify along with barca

    From maxim, on Wed 30 Sep 7:41AM

  8. Inter milan doesnt have midfielder like xavi from­ barcelona to feed etoo but i think think late he isnt­ bad enough koz i know that he will change the he plays­ now his best has still to come cool.Serges frm Jhbg.

    From Serges Mbe, on Wed 30 Sep 5:39AM

  9. hhhh

    From Serges Mbe, on Wed 30 Sep 5:35AM

  10. Inter are rubbish in the UCL because unlike in Italy,no­ one is scared of them in Europe
    all these talk sbout­ lack of creativity,Mourinho keeps using wrong­ formations.Imagine Inter parking a bus in front of­ RUBIN KAZAN,provide Eto'o and Milito with good­ service and they will give u goals...

    From Lauretta, on Wed 30 Sep 1:28AM

  11. Inter were lucky to get even that point but they'll­ still qualify for the knockout round

    From Simon, on Wed 30 Sep 1:06AM

  12. hahah.. guess what, mou who? he is chasing his own­ shadow of past glory with Porto! failed with csea, n­ also unlikely with inter.. i'm glad Laporta opted­ for Pep instead of him last season!

    From gorka, on Wed 30 Sep 12:51AM

  13. Where is eto'o you inter looser fans???????????? I­ guess he is a flop after all. I told you, he needs­ Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Henry, Alves and the rest of the­ Barca team. Eto'o suxks. Look who made the better­ deal now??????

    From indonoob, on Tue 29 Sep 9:40PM

  14. when Milito,Schnejder and Thiago Motta are in form­ again we will rock the Cl around the clock .
    COME ON­ INTER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Man United ,R

    From johnnyglobal1979, on Tue 29 Sep 9:14PM

  15. when Milito,Schnejder and Thiago Motta are in form­ again we will rock the Cl around the clock .
    COME ON­ INTER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Man United ,R

    From johnnyglobal1979, on Tue 29 Sep 9:14PM

  16. and why exactly would anyone want to call cameroun??

    From Oluwatosin O, on Tue 29 Sep 8:03PM

  17. I swear, what is it about random Africans thinking that­ they can predict every single result and outcome? ­ It's hilarious...

    From Alex, on Tue 29 Sep 7:34PM

  18. go inter go inter goooo .................
    does anybody­ knows where can we watch this game online ????

    From AnzoriT, on Tue 29 Sep 3:37PM

  19. Etoo will get into the scoring sheet this day.Mourihno­ stay confident.you are the best.Etoo will keep your­ flag flying this year. Shuneh from Cameroon 237­ 75108402

    From Blaise, on Mon 28 Sep 3:20PM
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