Samir Handanovic helps Inter past Dnipro in Europa League

Updated: May 17, 2023, 06:26 am
Dani Osvaldo celebrates his goal with his Inter teammates.
Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

Inter Milan progressed to the last 32 of the Europa League thanks to a nervy 2-1 win over Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk and another heroic performance from Samir Handanovic.

The Slovenian goalkeeper saved his sixth straight penalty in all competitions with Inter to stop Dnipro, who opened the scoring through Ruslan Rotan, from taking a 2-0 lead.

Zdravko Kuzmanovic and Dani Osvaldo scored either side of the break but the Serie A side might have conceded several goals in the second half if not for Handanovic's resilience, as he helped his side cover for the 46th minute dismissal of Andrea Ranocchia.

Inter's haul of 11 points sees them book top spot in Group F while Ukrainians Dnipro will have to beat St Etienne if they are to stand any chance of snatching second place.

Kuzmanovic and Artem Fedetskiy exchanged early sighters at San Siro before Dnipro took the lead in the 16th minute.

After Handanovic could only parry Yevhen Konoplyanka's effort, Rotan swept in to tuck home an opener, thus putting Inter on the back foot.

The Nerazzurri failed to respond straight away and almost went 2-0 down before the half-hour.

It was Fredy Guarin who conceded the penalty as he fouled Evgeni Cheberyachko but Konoplyanka subsequently saw his spot-kick parried by the alert Handanovic.

Suddenly coerced into action, Inter raced down the other end to equalise.

Ranocchia supplied the final ball into the box and Kuzmanovic could not really miss the target from 12 yards out.

Handanovic kept the scores level by denying Serhiy Kravchenko before Yuto Nagatomo's attempt to boost Inter into a half-time lead was scuttled by visiting keeper Denys Boyko.

Inter's cause was not helped by Ranocchia who, at the start of the second half, earned his second yellow card and his marching orders.

Having fouled Konoplyanka in the first half, the Italy defender reignited the referee's wrath by impeding Rotan.

Osvaldo made sure the hosts would not dwell on the dismissal for too long by firing Inter ahead in the 50th minute.

Put through by the canny Hernanes, the on-loan Southampton striker could pick his spot.

Handanovic earned more plaudits by keeping Nikola Kalinic out in the 63rd minute yet he only needed to stand by and watch as Rotan rasped the ball wide eight minutes from time.