Inter Milan 2-0 Borussia Dortmund: 3 talking points
Inter Milan have put themselves firmly back in the reckoning for top two places in the group with a win over Borussia Dortmund. Antonio Conte's team went up by two goals in the second half, having created the lone major chance of the first half in the 22nd minute and taking it.
Dortmund started as the marginally better team, and it took a while before Inter started to develop a foothold. Many expected Dortmund to spark into life after conceding a goal, but Lucien Favre's team remained largely passive.
The introduction of Sebastiano Esposito and Cristiano Biraghi ensured that the Dortmund defence was kept occupied, and they didn't have the time to strike against Inter. Despite missing a penalty while leading 1-0, Inter Milan ended up on top.
Here are three talking points from the match:
#1 A patient Inter Milan
It was by no means an easy win for Inter Milan, but Borussia Dortmund did little to contribute in attack - thus making life simpler for the Nerazzurri. The home team kept their composure and ensured that every player knew their role perfectly.
Despite some difficult patches in the game, Inter Milan managed to stave off the little threat that Dortmund offered. In fact, they remained camped in their half for large chunks of the game and chose to exploit space in behind the Dortmund backline.
It was a strategy that required plenty of discipline and patience from Conte's men, and they rose to the occasion.
They weren't ruffled by a missed penalty and eventually added a second goal to serve as a cushion against a strong team. That more or less sealed the victory, but it might not have been the case if Inter Milan hadn't approached the situation patiently.