Ten-man Inter beat Shakhtar 1-0 as Chivu-backed Martínez shines

📰 Down to ten men, Inter clinched their first Champions League win thanks to goalkeeper Josep Martínez. 📌 Key points 🟥 Bastoni was sent off for a second yellow card in the 68th minute. ⚽ Carlos Augusto scored the winner in the 77th minute. 🧤 Martínez made a string of late saves to protect the lead. 🗣️ Before the game Chivu insisted Martínez is Inter's first choice. 📈 Inter ended a run of two Champions League defeats. 📝 What happened 🧤 Italian media had tipped summer signing Ivan Provedel, signed from Lazio, to make his debut. According to TUTTOmercatoWEB, however, Chivu did not want to lose Martínez and felt dropping him could send the wrong message. Chivu said before kick-off: "I don't understand, he is Inter's starting goalkeeper." 🟥 The match did not go to plan. Bastoni picked up a second booking after contact with Ocheretko in the Shakhtar box on 68 minutes. ⚽ Inter still went ahead nine minutes later. Mkhitaryan's long ball in behind found Carlos Augusto, who scored the winner in the 77th minute. 🧤 The rest was down to Martínez. He saved from Newertton and then a Matviyenko header in the 86th and 87th minutes, and gathered a low cross in the third minute of stoppage time. 📊 By the numbers • Inter: 1 win, 2 defeats in the Champions League (first win after losing 2-1 to Real Madrid and 4-3 to Club Brugge) • Shakhtar's first defeat in this season's competition (previously one win, one draw) • Bastoni sent off on 68 minutes, winner on 77 🔭 Why it matters Inter now have a foothold in Europe after two defeats. The goalkeeper battle is worth watching too: Martínez rewarded his coach's faith here, but Provedel made his debut four days later against Fiorentina. Inter play the Milan derby on 31 October.