Having already set an unwanted club record of four successive Champions League defeats, Inter began like a team with nothing to lose, as Marcus Thuram had a scuffed effort saved by Dmytro Riznyk before Hakan Calhanoglu combined brilliantly with Nicolo Barella prior to drilling a low effort just past the post inside the first five minutes.
The home side continued to enjoy plenty of territory, but it wasn’t until midway through the half that they brought the best out of Riznyk again when Ange-Yoan Bonny took down a ball over the top and struck it well on the turn.
These sides’ matches saw 16 strikes in total across the first two matchdays, but goals were not forthcoming here as Shakhtar’s resolute defence kept Inter at bay. Valeriy Bondar’s header from a corner in the final five minutes was palmed away by Josep Martinez, just the second shot on target he had faced in the half, before the half-time whistle blew on a first goalless half in 10 Hirnyky Champions League matches.
Even in their defeat to Club Brugge on Matchday 2, the Nerazzurri maintained their record of scoring three or more in every home match this season, but their frustration against Ardu Turan’s side grew after the break.
Bonny saw an effort deflect kindly for Riznyk, before the goalkeeper tipped a curling Thuram strike around the post. Those frustrations boiled over with a quarter of the match remaining, when Alessandro Bastoni received a second yellow card for striking Oleh Ocheretko in the face in an off-the-ball incident.
But as Shakhtar pushed players forward to try and make use of the man advantage, Cristian Chivu threw on Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and the veteran midfielder made an immediate impact.
He played a perfectly timed ball forward for Carlos Augusto, who took it in his stride and slotted past the advancing Riznyk.
Mkhitaryan had the chance to wrap things up shortly after, but dragged his shot wide having been forced to take an extra touch. Martinez then denied Newerton and Bondar late on, meaning one goal was enough for Inter to prevail, also ending a run of four consecutive home losses in Europe. Shakhtar, meanwhile, are now winless in eight meetings with Il Biscione, scoring only once in those head-to-head clashes.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Carlos Augusto (Inter Milan)