Karlsruher SC vs Inter

A goalless first half at the BBBank Wildpark (attendance: 31,000) featured few clear chances, with Inter's Yann Bisseck forcing a save from Karlsruher goalkeeper Hans Christian Bernat after Nicolò Barella picked him out with a rabona pass. The hosts, further into their pre-season schedule with the 2. Bundesliga season approaching, had the better of the opening period.

Cristian Chivu changed his entire outfield line-up at half-time, introducing Benjamin Pavard, Alessandro Bastoni, Federico Dimarco, Davide Frattesi, Piotr Zieliński, Andy Diouf and others. But the disruption nearly backfired. Five minutes into the second half, Moritz Broschinski crossed low from the left, and Tim Civeja — who had been introduced at the break — swept a right-footed finish past Raffaele Di Gennaro from the centre of the box (50').

Inter responded with sustained pressure. Luka Topalović, Mattia Mosconi and Benjamin Pavard all went close, while Bernat made a string of saves. The equaliser seemed elusive until the first minute of stoppage time.

Federico Dimarco's corner was only partially cleared. The ball fell to Andy Diouf on the edge of the area, and the French midfielder unleashed a thunderous left-footed half-volley through a crowd of legs that beat Bernat low to the bottom right corner (90+1').

Three minutes later, Diouf completed the turnaround. Alessandro Bastoni found him on the right side of the box, and Diouf curled a sublime left-footed strike into the far top corner (90+4'). Two goals in 171 seconds — a half-volley and a curler — both from his left foot, both unstoppable.

Andy Diouf (Inter) — Two goals in stoppage time from two different finishes: raw power and delicate precision. "The second goal? As soon as I brought the ball under control, I looked up towards goal. It's something I try a lot in training," Diouf said after the match in an interview published by Inter's official website. Player of the match.

Tim Civeja (Karlsruher SC) — Scored the opening goal with a composed finish from Broschinski's cut-back, and was a constant threat before being booked and withdrawn. The 2. Bundesliga side will hope he carries this form into the competitive season.

Federico Dimarco (Inter) — Introduced at half-time, his deliveries from the left caused problems throughout the second half, and his corner led to the equaliser.

Hans Christian Bernat (KSC) — Made several sharp saves to deny Topalović, Pavard and Zieliński, keeping Karlsruher ahead until the 91st minute.

Inter's complete XI change at half-time meant two very different performances. The first half was cautious — Inter's established starters (Barella, Mkhitaryan, Carlos Augusto) controlled possession but created few clear chances. The second half, with a younger, more energetic XI, saw Inter generate the bulk of their shots, reflected in Di Gennaro's work-rate and the late flurry. Karlsruher's single shot on target in the second half was Civeja's goal, underscoring how they sat deep after taking the lead — a strategy that nearly worked until Diouf's intervention.

For Inter, this was the first proper test of Chivu's pre-season after a 16-0 win over a local amateur side earlier in the camp. The Nerazzurri's character — fighting until the final whistle in a friendly — speaks to the mentality Chivu is instilling. Inter's pre-season continues with a high-profile friendly against Manchester City in Hong Kong on 1 August, followed by matches against AC Milan (5 August) and Juventus (8 August) in Perth.

For Karlsruher SC, the performance was encouraging for long stretches. Maximilian Senft's side, preparing for the 2. Bundesliga season beginning in early August, matched the Italian champions for an hour and were minutes from a famous scalp. The concession of two stoppage-time goals, however, will be a learning point.

A pre-season friendly decided by two moments of individual brilliance. Karlsruher SC will rightly feel they deserved more for an organised, disciplined display. But Inter's refusal to accept defeat, even in a friendly, produced a comeback that Chivu will value more than any routine win. Diouf's two finishes — one a thunderbolt, one a feather — suggest the 23-year-old could be a significant weapon from the right flank this season.