Francesco Pio Esposito scored his first club goal since 14 September as Inter recovered from their Serie A derby defeat by beating Feyenoord 3-0 away from home on Tuesday.
The Italian striker netted Inter’s second goal of the match, helping Cristian Chivu’s side produce an immediate response to their 3-1 loss against Milan a few days earlier.
Esposito said Inter’s reaction in the Champions League could not be taken for granted, particularly against a difficult Feyenoord team.
“It wasn’t a given. We were good at having that reaction against a tough opponent,” he told Sky Sport.
The 20-year-old added that Inter had approached the game with the right attitude and managed to impose their style on the contest.
“We were good at stepping onto the pitch with the right approach and taking the game where we wanted,” Esposito said.
Inter had reviewed their derby defeat before travelling to the Netherlands, and Esposito was pleased that the players had followed through on what had been discussed.
“Surely, we analyse defeats. We did, and I’m happy we put words into action,” he said.
The result leaves Inter with six points from four Champions League games. Asked whether they could still finish in the top eight, Esposito stressed that there was plenty of the competition still to play.
“It’s still very long. We must focus on one game at a time, thinking that we can play on par with everyone until the end,” he said.
For Esposito, the goal was significant after a period without scoring at club level. His previous club goal had come on 14 September.
“Surely, a goal is like oxygen for a striker, but I try to put the work for the team ahead of everything else and I’m happy to have ended my drought,” he concluded.
Inter’s victory restored confidence after the setback against Milan and gave them an important three points in their Champions League campaign.
Report by Lorenzo Bettoni, Editor of Football Italia.
