July 27 2005

Palace v Inter

Crystal Palace lost 2-0 at home to a star-studded Inter Milan side in a game marking the Eagles' centenary.

The Italians arrived with a host of super stars on display, notably Brazilian striker Adriano who showed his undoubted class throughout.

The visitors had the lions' share of possession and Serbia and Montenegro midfielder Dejan Stankovic was having an inspired game down the right.

He blazed wide unmarked from 15 yards in the eighth minute. And five minutes later, following an Inter counter-attack, he struck the post with a low drive.

On the 15-minute mark, he picked up the ball just beyond the half-way line, spotted Gabor Kiraly off his line and launched a 40-yard lob which Kiraly had to scramble back and tip over the bar. The Hungarian applauded the cheeky, but spectacular effort.

Inter got their noses in front in the 19th minute. Obafemi Martins jinked his way into the Eagles area, Aaron Fray and Fitz Hall couldn't get to him in time and he fired home from six yards.

Four minutes before the break, Adriano ghosted into the left side of the Palace area and his strike was parried out by Kiraly.

In the second half, Eagles boss Iain Dowie brought on five subs and two of which combined for the Eagles' only real chance after 52 minutes.

Joonas Kolkka was released down the right and he fed Dougie Freedman, whose close-range shot was saved by Julio Cesar, but the Scot was miles offside.

In the 67th minute, Inter doubled their advantage with a great goal. Sub Giorgos Karagounis picked up the ball on the edge of the box and fired a rocket into Kiraly's top corner of the net.

Seconds later Kiraly was replaced by Julian Speroni for a run-out and he was only on the pitch a matter of seconds when he got a touch on David Pizarro's screamer to put it out for a corner.

Five minutes before time, a rare Inter defensive mix-up allowed sub Sandor Torghelle through on goal but he was hacked down by keeper Cesar right on the edge of the box.

The ref awarded a free-kick which Ben Watson struck well, but Cesar kept it out.

Palace: Kiraly (Speroni 67), Boyce (Butterfield 46), Ward (Hudson 46), F Hall, Fray (Borrowdale 56), McAnuff (Andrews 64), Watson, Leigertwood (Riihilahti 46), Soares (Kolkka 46), Macken (Freedman 46), Johnson (Torghelle 66).

More Palace v Inter photos