Piotr Zielinski scored a spectacular long-range goal to help Inter Milan beat Monza 4-1 in their opening Serie A match of the season.
The Polish international midfielder started the game and restored Inter's advantage in the 48th minute, striking from distance to make the score 2-1 early in the second half.
Zielinski played 83 minutes before being substituted near the end of the match. Inter Milan, who compete in Serie A, top-flight Italian football, went on to secure a convincing victory at home.
Italian media ratings
Italian sports news outlets evaluated Zielinski's performance after the match. Website internews08.it assigned the midfielder a rating of 6.5 out of 10, matching the score given by corriere.it. The latter publication reported that just as Monza began to build confidence, Zielinski ruined all hopes of the opponents with a shot from distance.
News outlet leggo.it awarded him a rating of 7, noting that he acted as an extra playmaker during the build-up phase as usual, while also scoring the goal that made it 2-1 early in the second half. Website interlive.it also scored his display at 7, observing that he started inconspicuously before gaining momentum over time and sealing the victory. Eurosport Italy handed him a 7 rating as well, describing his first half as so-so before praising his lead-giving goal early in the second half.
Journalists at calciomercato.com took a harsher view, giving the Pole a 6 rating. They noted that Zielinski wandered across the pitch during the first half, but added that once Monza's pressing lost intensity, he emerged from the shadows and began dictating terms on the field.
Late substitution and fixture schedule
Zielinski was replaced in the 83rd minute by Aleksandar Stankovic. Inter brought in the Serbian midfielder before the season from Belgian club Club Brugge for 23 million euros, one year after selling him to the Belgian team for 9.5 million euros.
Inter play their next Serie A match away against Cagliari on August 30 at 20:45.
