Chelsea vs. Inter: Score, Grades and Post-Match Reaction

Chelsea began their four-match tour of the United States with a 2-0 win over Inter Milan on Thursday night. 

Playing at Lucas Oil Stadium as part of the 2013 International Champions Cup, the Blues got first-half goals from Oscar and Eden Hazard and managed to keep Milan off the scoreboard in the second half for the victory. 

The tournament's official Twitter account had the post as the score became final:

Fox Soccer also weighed in with Chelsea's next opponent:

Inter Milan almost got an early score that would have certainly changed the flow of the match. In the 11th minute, Fredy Guarin narrowly missed a volley past Petr Cech, as the ball went just wide of the post. 

In retrospect, it was really Inter's best chance of the match. There were others, but the Italian club failed to set the tone in the match and Chelsea quickly responded. 

Oscar got Chelsea on the board in the 13th minute. Two minutes after the Guarin shot, Victor Moses led a 3-on-2 run down the middle of the pitch before finding Oscar just outside the left of the box. 

After stopping and regathering himself for the strike, Oscar curled one over the head of Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic in the upper-right part of the net to give the Blues a 1-0 lead. 

Chelsea's official Twitter account had this post, as the young attacker gave Jose Mourinho's side something to cheer about early on in the match:

It wouldn't take long for the Blues to strike again: 

The English Premier League side created chances throughout the opening minutes of the game, and those chances led to a penalty kick before the first third of the game had run off the clock. 

Alvaro Pereira got a little too aggressive in his challenge of Moses just outside the right of the box in the 29th minute. Moses hit the deck, and the referee ruled that the foul occurred in a place that would give the winger a free strike at the net. 

Hazard showed magnificent poise and pace in faking a shot to the left before pushing it into the right side of the goal past Handanovic. At the end of the match, the two strikes proved to be all Chelsea needed.

The club's Twitter account had this second look at Hazard's penalty goal: 

Chelsea Question had a look at both of the team's goals on Twitter:

Coming out of the half, Inter was much more aggressive. Mauro Icardi and Rodrigo Palacio both looked for scoring chances early, and it was clear that the Serie A side was looking to throw the first punch after falling behind in the first half. 

Hugo Campagnaro took that aggression a little too far just inside of the 60-minute mark. Blues captain John Terry was the recipient of that aggression, and as noted by Fox Soccer Trax, it was an easy call for the referee to send Campagnaro to the showers:

With Milan playing down a man and the Blues firmly in command with a two-goal lead, the only question down the stretch appeared to be how many goals Mourinho's men would put up. 

The Nerazzurri managed to keep the scoreboard exactly what it was at the half, but it wasn't for lack of the Blues making feverish attempts to make a statement. 

Romelu Lukaku hit the post after finding himself in prime position to score, while the trio of Fernando Torres, Demba Ba and Michael Essien all had chances to put an exclamation mark on the victory. They failed to do so, and FutbolBible on Twitter took it as a sign that the club still needs one more player:

Despite the negatives surrounding an inability to add a late score, Mourinho has to be happy with his club's first match in the States. His young players performed well in the attacking half of the pitch, and they did enough on defense to curb Milan's attack for most of the evening. 

Each club has two more guaranteed matches in the tournament. Look for Chelsea to work on taking advantage of chances in their next appearance, while Milan will look to post their first goal of the tournament in preparation for their upcoming league season. 

Grades

  

What's Next?

The Blues will stay on the winner's side of the bracket in the ICC, with their next opponent being AC Milan. The "other" Milan took down Valencia in the opening match of the preseason tournament and will oppose Chelsea with a spot in the championship match on the line.  

Inter Milan will next face Valencia. Both of those matches will take place on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New York. 

Follow B/R's Ethan Grant (@DowntownEG) on Twitter.