Inter beat Galatasaray

In the night’s other game English club Liverpool and hosts Ajax drew 0-0.

Inter, who finished second last season in Italy’s Serie A, were without a host of leading players including strikers Hernan Crespo and Christian Vieri.

But their replacements had an easy night against the 2000 UEFA Cup winners from Turkey.

Umit Karan and Hakan Sukur both threatened to score early on for Galatasaray but eight minutes before halftime Inter took the lead when Martins headed home a cross by skipper Javier Zanetti.

Soon after Luis Cesar Prates struck the crossbar with a free kick for the Turkish side.

Inter, though, doubled their lead after 64 minutes when Martins collected a neat pass and gave Galatasaray keeper Farid Mondragon no chance.

Two minutes later substitute Mario Rebecchi made it 3-0 and Galatasaray’s misery was complete when striker Hasan Sas was red-carded for a second bookable offence eight minutes from the end.

Both Liverpool and Ajax missed a hatful of chances in the second match in the Amsterdam Arena.

Rafael van der Vaart, playing in attack, was Ajax’s most dangerous player and he forced an early save from Liverpool keeper Jerzy Dudek.

Liverpool’s new signing Harry Kewell, back after an ankle injury, played on the right side of midfield and set up a chance for Czech striker Milan Baros soon after.

Two minutes before the break Dudek made two excellent saves within seconds as he first blocked a Van der Vaart shot with his feet and then deflected a shot from Tomas Galasek just over the crossbar.

In the second half Kewell, El Hadji Diouf and Danny Murphy missed good chances for Liverpool.

In the dying minutes both sides had their opportunity to grab the win but Dudek saved twice from Van der Vaart and ex-Liverpool player Jari Litmanen, while Emile Heskey headed straight at Ajax goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg.