A penalty in first-half stoppage time condemned us to our first Champions League defeat of the season.
Mikel Merino was penalised when the ball bounced against his arm, and Hakan Calhanoglu scored from 12 yards – Inter’s only shot on target throughout the night.
We had the better of the play from then on, but were frustrated by the home side, who are yet to concede in the competition this season.
Kai Havertz had our best chance, but his shot was deflected wide on a night when we couldn’t turn our possession into goals.
Early scare
On our first visit to the cathedral of football that is the Stadio San Siro since 2018, it was the hosts who started better.
They set about us early on, and right wing back Denzel Dumfries struck the crossbar inside just two minutes, with David Raya beaten. A minute later, Calhanoglu fizzed a shot just wide when given space 20 yards out.
We had an early storm to weather in a vibrant atmosphere, and it wasn’t until we won our first corner after a quarter of an hour that we could get a sight of the Italian champions’ goal.
Our second corner proved more dangerous. Bukayo Saka’s inswinger was punched away under his own crossbar by Yann Sommer.
The twin strike force of Lautaro Martinez and Mehdi Taremi were asking our defence questions though, and Gabriel had to show superb recovery pace to catch up with the latter, before making a timely intervention as the Iranian was about to break into the box.
We were starting to grow into the game. Saka cut into the box onto his favoured left foot but didn’t generate enough power in his shot. It was the first attempt on target but either side, just before the half hour.
Our delivery from set pieces was causing problems, and a cross from open play was taken off Mikel Merino’s head by the flying fist of Sommer. There were appeals for a penalty as the keeper collided with our Spanish midfielder as he cleared.
Penalty pain
We had settled after some early nerves, and every cross into the Inter box caused panic in the home defence.
But just as we looked to be taking some control of the game, we fell behind. Merino was unfortunate to be penalised for a handball inside the area when the ball ricocheted into him at close range, and Calhanoglu converted from 12 yards. It was the first goal we had conceded in this season’s Champions League, and also the final kick of the half.
It was Merino’s final involvement of the evening, he was replaced at the interval by Gabriel Jesus.
Momentum builds
Gabriel Martinelli shot into the side netting and William Saliba couldn’t quite reach another searching corner as we started the second half positively.
After good work from Jesus, Saka saw his cross just flicked away from the arriving Havertz. His next cross, from a corner, was even closer – it was cleared off the line at the far post.
Havertz was next to try his luck, and had Sommer scrambling back to tip away his looping effort.
Inter were looking to frustrate and interrupt play at every opportunity, defending their lead as we put them under more pressure.
Havertz then had a wonderful chance when the ball fell to him in a central position eight yards out. He reacted well to get his shot away, but it deflected agonisingly wide.
On came Ethan Nwaneri and Oleksandr Zinchenko to try to rescue something from the game. We dominated possession, pinned Inter back, but could not force the breakthrough.
What’s next
Our UEFA Champions League campaign resumes at the end of the month away to high-flying Sporting Lisbon, but before then we have Premier League matches away to Chelsea then at home to Nottingham Forest, either side of the international break.
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