Inter Milan lifted by Thuram’s soaring headers in pain-free return to Champions League

AMSTERDAM (AP) — Marcus Thuram’s towering jumps and powerful headers met corners by teammate Hakan Çalhanoğlu to get Inter Milan’s Champions League campaign off to a winning start.

Thuram soared and lifted Inter to a 2-0 victory at Ajax on Wednesday in their return to the competition since that painful five-goal rout by Paris Saint-Germain in the final last season.

“This is Inter,” said coach Cristian Chivu, who is leading the team for the first time in the Champions League. “A team with experience, character and the desire to bounce back from a negative period.”

The first goal in the 42nd minute found Thuram all alone at the near post to direct the ball fast and true down into the bottom corner of the net.

The second in the 47th saw the France forward rise between two Ajax defenders to guide the ball inside the far post.

Getting Inter a lead capped an eventful first half for the powerful Thuram, whose usual strike partner Lautaro Martinez started on the bench.

Thuram was shown a yellow card in the 17th for a trailing hand that swung into the face of Oliver Edvardsen and left the Ajax forward lying on the turf.

He fired a shot barely wide of Ajax’s goal in the 33rd, then thought he had earned a penalty one minute later when pulled to the ground by defender Youri Baas.

It was overturned on video review when English referee Michael Oliver was advised to check his field-side monitor to see Thurman had held and pulled Baas’s jersey as they moved into the penalty area.

Thuram will be favored to add to his Champions League tally when Inter hosts Slavia Prague at San Siro on Sept. 30.

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