Feyernood 0-2 Inter Milan: Nerazzurri defeat hosts to take control of Champions League last-16 tie

Inter Milan took a firm grip on their Champions League last-16 clash with Feyenoord, securing a commanding 2-0 win away from home on Wednesday. Goals from Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez gave the Serie A leaders a crucial advantage heading into the second leg in Milan.

Feyenoord looked the more threatening side in the first half, but Inter struck against the run of play when Thuram found the net with an acrobatic volley in the 38th minute. Shortly after the break, Martinez extended the visitors' lead with a powerful shot into the top corner. The Argentine's strike marked his sixth goal in this season’s competition and his 18th in the Champions League for Inter, making him the club’s all-time leading scorer in the tournament.

The hosts created chances of their own, with Ibrahim Osman forcing an early save from Inter goalkeeper Josep Martinez and Jakub Moder hitting the crossbar. Inter had an opportunity to make it 3-0 when they were awarded a penalty for a foul on Thuram, but Feyenoord’s Timon Wellenreuther denied Piotr Zielinski with an impressive save.

The defeat dealt a blow to Feyenoord's hopes of reaching the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since the 1971-72 season, as new coach Robin van Persie made his managerial debut in the competition. Meanwhile, Inter, three-time European champions and finalists in 2010, advanced directly to the knockout stages after finishing fourth in the inaugural league-phase format.

The decisive second leg will take place in Milan on Tuesday, with the winner set to face either Bayern Munich or Bayer Leverkusen for a place in the semi-finals.

SportsLigue