Inter and Dynamo make their point

FC Internazionale Milano have now gone a year without a UEFA Champions League victory and it could have been worse after they had to twice come from behind to earn a share of the Group F spoils with an adventurous FC Dynamo Kyiv team.

Barren spell
The visitors controlled much of the first half and were ahead inside five minutes as Taras Mikhalik coolly slotted in. By contrast Inter were lacklustre, but dragged themselves back into the contest ten minutes before half-time. Dejan Stanković equalised after a blistering counterattack and, although the hosts went into the interval behind following Lucio's own goal, they were a different side from then on. Walter Samuel levelled again two minutes after the restart and 2-2 is how it ended, despite chances for both teams.

Attacking bent
Valeri Gazzaev had made a bold statement in selecting a three-man forward line and his audacity brought early reward. The game was just four minutes old when Artem Milevskiy, the centre of the attacking trident, flicked a corner into the path of Andriy Yarmolenko who somehow poked wide from two metres. Yet before the replays could show just how good a chance that was, Dynamo were ahead. An innocuous free-kick from the left deflected off Stanković and to Mikhalik, who turned adroitly and fired in off Júlio César's near post.

Stanković equaliser
José Mourinho's Christmas tree formation was showing little sparkle and Andriy Shevchenko, returning to a stadium he knows better than most, almost doubled the lead with a downward header on 26 minutes. That would have been the former AC Milan striker's 15th goal against the Nerazzurri but fortune was not on his side and, having created so little, the hosts were soon level after a move smacking of class. Wesley Sneijder spun into space inside his own half and spread the ball right to Lucio, who slid it to meet Stanković's delightfully-timed run. With Stanislav Bogush rushing off his line the Serbian midfielder finished low past him.

Set-pieces
Dynamo rallied and got the luck they deserved five minutes before the break. Milevskiy got the slightest of touches to another corner and Lucio, unable to adjust, headed into his own net. Mourinho was stung into action, introducing an extra attacker in David Suazo and sending his players out early for the second half. Within two minutes of the restart it was 2-2, Samuel swooping to flick a header into the far corner following Sneijder's corner.

Shevchenko chance
Inter pressed for the winner but with little joy as Dynamo defended deeply. Still menacing on the break, a hashed clearance by Lucio on 73 minutes allowed Shevchenko a clear run on goal but the veteran fired badly wide with only César to beat. Still Inter came and though Suazo did find the net in added time, the assistant referee's raised flag ensured this match ended 2-2. With a single point separating the four teams in Group F, the sides will lock horns again in Ukraine in a fortnight hoping for more.