Grant Scott’s Hibs side have taken considerable glee at proving their doubters wrong over the course of the last six months but there was a predictable outcome tonight as they succumbed to a 4-1 defeat against a ruthless Inter Milan side.
With a number of seasoned international players in their ranks, Scott had accepted before the game that there was a nervous excitement within the Hibs ranks given the magnitude of opposition that they were coming up against.
Those fears appeared to be entirely vindicated in the opening ten minutes of the game as the Italians accelerated into a two goal lead as the night started badly and threatened to go rapidly downhill from there.
Haley Bugeja kicked it off for the Italians with the opener after just four minutes with winger Olivia Schough doubling the lead for the hosts just minutes later.
If it looked as though there may be a deluge of goals on the way, it was to Hibs’ credit that they managed to stem the flow. They made it to the break without any further breaches of their backline but it proved to be a stay of execution.
The Italians emerged from the break with the same impetus that they had marked the start of the game with a goal from Elisa Polli giving the hosts what seemed to be and unassailable lead.
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To their credit, Hibs managed to rouse themselves to pull a goal back with Eilidh Adams giving them a little bit of hope to cling onto.
With a glorious chance to pull it back again with the scored poised at 3-1, Hibs could only lament what might have been as they passed up the chance – and then watched on as a fourth goal came for the hosts.
Benedetta Glionna restored the three-goal cushion for the Italians to leave Hibs looking at an uphill task next week in Leith for the return leg.
Scott had suggested that the entire experience would be a firm learning curve for his side, especially for some of the younger players within the squad.
It is unlikely that their European adventure will stretch much further than next Wednesday night but there will be lessons to be absorbed from being exposed to the class and clinical nature of the Italians, a lesson which came hard on the heels of their Champions League exit.
