Zlatan Ibrahimovic in Inter vs Panathinaikos - Champions League
Its a Pana stunner in Milan, where Henk Ten Cate’s Greek outfit have earned a shock 1-0 win in against the Serie A champions. Inter through despite Panathinaikos shock.
Panathinaikos has turned Group B on its head with a stunning UEFA Champions League victory in Italy, where the unfancied Greeks scored a deserved 1-0 win over Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan.
The win eclipses the Athenians’ shock away win over Werder Bremen last matchday, with their victory at the Sani Siro built on supreme defensive organization and a near-perfect tactical set-up laid out by Dutch manager Henk Ten Cate.
Despite their listless display, the Italians have still qualified for the next phase of the competition by virtue of Werder Bremen’s 2-2 draw in Cyprus, a result that has catapulted Panathinaikos over Anorthosis Famgusta and into second place with one group match remaining.
Josu Sarriegi scored the winner for the Greeks on 69 minutes to give them a Champions League lifeline.
Panathinaikos only need a point at home to Anorthosis Famagusta in two weeks time to join Inter in the second round, although the Italians now need a result, possibly even a victory, away to Werder Bremen or they risk failing to top Group B.
Inter coach Jose Mourinho made no excuses for the defeat but suggested that there would be no difference between finishing first or second in the group. “We deserve to go to the last game with Werder under pressure to finish first,” he said.
He also added, “We’re lucky to have qualified for the last 16 after a deserved defeat, well done to our opponents. The coach is always responsible for a defeat and I have to listen to and accept all criticism aimed at me. It seems to me that there is no difference between finishing first or second. There is no difference between finishing first or second but my thinking is to go to Werder to win.”
Panathinaikos’s Dutch coach Henk Ten Cate admitted he didn’t expect to be in this position after his team lost their first two group games. “Surprised, yes of course. If you start the qualification group with two defeats, normally it’s game over,” he said. “But we kept believing and I said there are still four games to play. My team is improving a lot. We came this summer and we are building a new team,” he also said.
Goals:
Panathinaikos 1 (Sarriegi 69’)
Line-ups:
Inter Milan: Cesar, Materazzi, Cordoba, Maxwell (75’ Cruz), Maico, Cambiasso, Muntari (46’ Quaresma), Figo (72’ Balotelli), Zanetti, Adriano, Ibrahimovic
Panathinaikos: Galinovic, Goumas, Sarriegi, Vyntra, Nilsson, Spyropoulos, Gilberto, Karagounis (63’ Salpiggidis), Simao, Gabriel (84’ Tziolis), Mantzios (94’ Rukavina)
Watch Goals and Highlights of Inter vs Panathinaikos
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