The night kicked off fast. In the 8th minute, Yann Bisseck moved into the box and finished with his left after Djed Spence’s smart feed, giving Inter an early lead. Feyenoord pushed back but were hit again on 34 minutes when Francesco Pio Esposito headed in on a fast break. Two yellows on 39 minutes, one to Gjivai Zechiël and one to Manuel Akanji, underlined a spiky first half. At the break it was 0-2 and Inter looked comfortable.

After halftime, Inter kept the shape and the threat. At 54 minutes Piotr Zieliński guided home with his left from a Nicolò Barella assist to make it 0-3. Feyenoord’s best moment was a big chance for Anis Hadj Moussa, but it went begging. The hosts recorded 53 percent possession and matched Inter 11-11 on total shots. The visitors, though, carried the greater punch on target. Cristian Chivu’s side closed out the final half hour with minimal drama at the back. Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team kept the ball, but not the scoreboard.

What the stats say

Possession favored Feyenoord 53 to 47 and they completed 531 accurate passes to Inter’s 458. Final third entries also leaned to the hosts, 59 to 46, and they sent in more crosses. It reads like control, yet the key attacking indicators flip the script. Inter put 6 shots on target to Feyenoord’s 2 and posted a huge edge in expected goals on target, 2.34 to 0.25.

Overall xG landed at 0.71 for Feyenoord and 0.92 for Inter, but shot quality at the moment of contact told the real story. Inter scored their only big chance, while Feyenoord missed theirs. The visitors had more touches in the penalty area, 29 to 23. Aerial duels were a one-way street, with Inter winning 11 of 15 for 73 percent. Recoveries were 58 to 49 and clearances 27 to 21, both to Inter. In goal, Josep Martínez prevented 0.25 goals, while Tjark Ernst came out at minus 0.66. Clinical finishing plus solid shot-stopping will win you many away nights in Europe.

Inter’s defensive control and transition

Inter’s 3-5-2 held its line and timed its presses well. Carlos Augusto cleared the lines 13 times and won his tackles. Manuel Akanji added 5 clearances, 6 interceptions and a won tackle before making way late on. Across the back, Inter kept blocks coming and forced poor shooting angles. Feyenoord won more ground duels overall, but Inter owned the air and the dangerous zones.

Djed Spence was a live outlet at right wing-back. He produced the assist for 0-1, made 2 key passes, and even tested the keeper once. Barella, wearing the armband, logged 3 key passes and the assist for the third goal, setting the midfield tone despite five fouls conceded. Josep Martínez was tidy, with two saves, one high claim and a punch when pressure rose. The pattern was clear: win it deep, break with precision, and play into forward runners early. When your wing-backs and midfielders connect at speed, three goals from six shots on target make sense.

MVP focus: Yann Bisseck

Bisseck took home a Sofascore Rating of 8.2 and earned it in both boxes. He scored the opener with his left, a key swing on an away night. On the ball he was assured, completing 47 of 54 passes and taking 70 touches to ease Inter out of pressure. In defense he made 2 clearances, 1 block and 5 recoveries. He also won his only aerial duel and 2 of 3 total duels.

The numbers back the impact. His shot carried 0.6377 expected goals on target and found the net at the first time of asking. He was not just a finisher; he covered ground with 18 ball carries and stayed mistake-free, with zero errors leading to a shot. It was the complete centre-back performance: position first, then presence, then poise. Add a first-half goal to calm the whole team and you have a definitive MVP output in Rotterdam.

Supporting cast who shaped the scoreline