Inter Milan continued their sensational start to the UEFA Champions League campaign on Wednesday night, coasting to a decisive 4-0 victory over Royale Union Saint-Gilloise at the San Siro. The clean sheet combined with the win secured a historic milestone for manager Cristian Chivu, who becomes the first Inter manager ever to win the first three games of a single European/UCL campaign without conceding a single goal.
In the first-ever meeting between the two clubs, the Belgian visitors, Union SG, looked anything but overawed in the opening minutes. They created two quick-fire opportunities, first testing Yann Sommer with a powerful shot from Promise David, and then forcing a goal-line clearance from Lautaro MartÃnez after Christian Burgess met the resulting corner.
Inter, however, eventually found their rhythm. After Hakan Çalhanoğlu forced a good save from Kjell Scherpen midway through the half, the Nerazzurri finished the opening 45 minutes with a ruthless double blow.
The breakthrough came from a ÇalhanoÄŸlu corner that caused chaos, allowing Denzel Dumfries to pounce and lash the ball home. Just before the halftime whistle, Dumfries turned provider after a rapid break, setting up Francesco Esposito, who laid the ball off for Lautaro MartÃnez to curl in a sublime finish and double the lead.
Esposito Shines in Second Half
Any faint hopes of a Union SG comeback were extinguished shortly after the break. Following a VAR review, Inter were awarded a penalty for a handball by Kamiel Van de Perre. Çalhanoğlu stepped up confidently and buried his spot kick into the bottom left corner, making the score 3-0 within five minutes of the second half.
The crowning moment came in the 76th minute, highlighting Inter’s clinical edge. A swift counter-attack saw Ange-Yoan Bonny break into the box, and his cutback was expertly turned in by the lively Francesco Esposito, capping off a dominant performance with a goal and an assist.
Inter’s comprehensive 4-0 success extends their perfect record in the Champions League this season and marks a seventh consecutive victory across all competitions, underscoring their title credentials. Meanwhile, Union Saint-Gilloise remain rooted after securing just one win in their first three European fixtures this term.
