Lens vs Inter 1 - 0: Nerazzurri defeated after an excellent second half

The city of Lens isn’t particularly known for its hot climate but the atmosphere at the "Bollaert-Delelis" stadium was on fire. It is a small town with only 36,000 residents but with a stadium holding 38,000, and it was sold out for the game against Inter. There was an electric atmosphere inside and Inter knew before kick-off that they were going to face tough opposition, who were much further ahead in their pre-season preparations and had a raucous Giallorossi crowd urging them on. The game was physical and evenly-fought with Inter starting off slowly then fighting back after the break. But it was Lens who got the vital goal in the last minute of play in their only chance of the half. Despite the unfortunate result, Inter will go away taking plenty of positives from the game. With his classic 3-5-2 starting line-up, Simone Inzaghi started off for the first time this year with last season’s trusty trio Barella, Brozovic and Calhanoglu, with Dumfries and Lazaro on the wings, and Dzeko and Correa up top. As in the previous game against AS Monaco, the Nerazzurri found it difficult to get a hold of possession against a more aggressive and sharper Lens side. Inter attempted to keep the ball in the early stages of the game but struggled to have any sort of fluency with many players appearing for the first time this pre-season. Yet the first chance of the game came to Turkish midfielder Calhanoglu, whose deflected shot went out for a corner. The resulting corner, taken by Calhanoglu himself, was met by De Vrij but his header went high over the bar. Franck Haise’s squad were well organised and looked physically stronger, winning more battles and second balls, and got a foot hold in the game. The driving force behind their good start was captain, and ex-Udinese, Seko Fofana; his hit from just outside the box missed by a whisker, after a nice lay-off by Ganago. And it was Lens who continued to be more fluid in their play with and without the ball: on 19 minutes, Handanovic anticipated well and smothered the ball ahead of the onrushing Ganago. The Nerazzurri struggled to get out of their own half and lacked any sort of rhythm. Some space and joy was found out wide with Lazaro and Dumfries but the home side’s high pressing forced Inter into errors, that opened up opportunities for them: Sotoca looked for the far post, after winning the ball back on the edge of the box, but Handanovic did well to get the ball away after an awkward bouncing ball. Five minutes later, Medina tried from a similar position but his shot was off target. At the end of the first half, Inter started to get going looking particularly dangerous through some forward balls by Brozovic and Calhanoglu. And it was one these balls that Dzeko’s best chance of the half came but his shot was weak and went straight into the arms of Lens keeper Samba.

There were no changes at half-time as many players needed minutes in their legs. Inter were much more lively at the start of the second half with more forward balls, one-two combinations and more runs down the wings. On the 60 minute mark, Simone Inzaghi rung the changes with seven substitutions and the game changed on its head. The Nerazzurri created goal-scoring opportunities without unlocking the deadlock, though.

On 67 minutes, LuLa gave us a flash of their link-up play: Lukaku raced into open space, leaving Danso behind him, and crossed perfectly into the box to an oncoming Lautaro, whose shot flew over missing the target.

8 minutes later and Inter had by far their best chance of the game: Mkhitaryan fed Lazaro, who from the left hand side fizzed a ball into the box for Lukaku but Lens’ goalkeeper Samba anticipated well to collect. And it was him again on 79 minutes getting the better of a one on one with Lautaro, after a ball through from Barella.

In the last two minutes, the game was turned on its head: Inter first went close to getting the decisive goal, after a scrap for the ball in the Giallorossi area ended with Agoumé firing over; then, the goal came through Openda. From a corner, the Belgian got in front of everyone at the near post and flicked on a ball that looped over Cordaz to go in. The game ended there 1-0 for the home side that was maybe a little unfair on Inter, who on their second half showing deserved to get a goal.

LENS-INTER 1-0

Scorers: 90' Openda

LENS (3-4-3) 30 Samba; 24 Gradit (61'5 Wooh), 4 Danso, 14 Medina (32 Boura); 29 Frankowski (Cabot), 26 Abdul Samed (6 Berg), 8 Fofana, 3 Machado (21 Haidara,); 20 Pereira da Costa (22 Said), 9 Ganago (46' 11 Openda), 7 Sotoca (13 Poreba). Subs: 40 Pandor, 50 Delbecque 35 Louveau, 36 Camara, 33 Baldé. Head Coach: Franck Haise.

INTER (3-5-2) 1 Handanovic (80' 21 Cordaz); 36 Darmian, 6 De Vrij (61' 33 D'Ambrosio), 95 Bastoni (61' 32 Dimarco); 2 Dumfries (61' 12 Bellanova), 23 Barella (80' 42 Agoumé), 77 Brozovic (61' 14 Asllani), 20 Calhanoglu (61' 22 Mkhitaryan), 15 Lazaro (80' 46 Zanotti); 9 Dzeko (61' 10 Lautaro), 11 Correa (61' 90 Lukaku). Subs: 24 Onana, 47 Fontanarosa, 50 Casadei. Head Coach: Simone Inzaghi.

BOOKINGS: 29' Dzeko; 39' Gradit, 56' Dumfries, 56' Samba, 61' Brozovic, 86' Berg