Adriano hat-trick sees Inter safely through

ADRIANO’S hat-trick booked Internazionale their place in the quarter finals of the UEFA Champions League as they defeated Porto 4-2 on aggregate.

Inter recorded a 3-1 win on home soil to go with the 1-1 draw in the first-leg, to become the third Italian side to reach the last eight.

Porto were in trouble after only five minutes as the hosts went in front. A slack pass towards Jorge Costa handed possession to Adriano who muscled his way past the veteran defender and fired in a left foot shot that was deflected high over the head of Vitor Baia and into the net.

It was a much-needed goal for the Brazilian which clearly restored his confidence after he had managed to find the net just once in his last 12 games.

The early goal should have been the spark for an entertaining encounter but instead the sparse crowd inside the San Siro were treated to a dull display as neither set of players appeared capable of retaining possession.

Benny McCarthy looked the only player capable of opening up the Inter defence but the striker found himself a lonely figure up front as he lacked any support.

The second half did at least see Porto up the tempo as they went in search of an equaliser.

Ricardo Quaresma gave Francesco Toldo in the home goal his first real worry with a swerving right foot strike from outside the area that drifted just wide of the keeper’s left hand post.

A perfectly weighted pass from strike partner Julio Cruz played in Adriano who flicked the ball into the top of the net with the outside of his left foot to grab his, and Inter’s, second of the night after 63 minutes..

However the current European champions were not going to give up their title without a fight as they attempted to produce a late rally.

Giourkas Seitaridis’ mis-hit cross that struck the base of a post was an early warning for what was to follow as Jorge Costa poked home a loose ball from a corner to make it 2-1 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate.

The tension amongst the home fans began to rise as Porto sensed the chance of a late equaliser similar to the one that knocked out Manchester United at the same stage of last season’s competition.

Javier Zanetti should have wrapped it up for the hosts when he galloped through a static defensive only for his finish from a tight angle to be hacked off the line by Pedro Emanuel.

But the full back’s miss was not to prove crucial as Adriano made sure Roberto Mancini’s side would progress with a curling effort from just inside the area that completed his hat-trick.

INTER MILAN: Toldo, Javier Zanetti, Materazzi, Mihajlovic, Ze Maria, Cambiasso, Cristiano Zanetti, Stankovic (Gonzalez 83), Veron (Van der Meyde 89), Adriano, Cruz (Martins 76).

FC PORTO: Vitor Baia, Jorge Costa, Pedro Emanuel (Pepe 81), Ricardo Costa (Postiga 66), Costinha, Nuno Valente, Maniche, Diego, Seitaridis, Claudio (Quaresma 46), McCarthy.

Referee: Terje Hauge (Norway).