The dream is over and in a far more crushing fashion than Ipswich would have liked. Beating Internazionale at Portman Road was one thing, containing them at the San Siro proved quite another. The less glamorous job of avoiding relegation awaits George Burley's players now.
A hat-trick by the impressive Italy striker Christian Vieri was at the root of Ipswich's downfall, with Mohamed Kallon adding the other Inter goal. After a bright start, Ipswich found themselves three down inside 46 minutes and their late rally was in vain.
Alun Armstrong gave their large contingent of fans something to cheer with an 80th-minute penalty after Matt Holland's shot was handled by Javier Zanetti, but that was their only effort on target on a night when they were very much second best.
Although George Burley had described this a "daunting task", he must have been hopeful his team could finish the job they began so impressively at Portman Road a fortnight earlier, when Armstrong's late goal gave them victory.
There was no lack of confidence in Ipswich's early play and although Inter settled and began to enjoy most of the possession, they hardly looked dangerous initially. Luigi di Biagio had a header saved, but Ipswich's policy of pulling all but Naylor behind the ball made life difficult for the Serie A leaders.
Then, 18 minutes in, came the goal Ipswich were dreading. Titus Bramble conceded a free-kick near the left side of the penalty area and Belozoglu Emre curled the ball in for Vieri to send a glancing header past Matteo Sereni.
Vieri got his second when another free-kick was Ipswich's undoing: this one moved across the box to Vratislav Gresko, whose shot hit Vieri inside the area. He swivelled and struck a volley past Sereni.
Almost straight from the kick-off, Vieri flicked on a high pass in front of Mark Venus and Kallon nipped in to steer the ball into the net from about six yards.When Vieri ran on to Guly's pass for his hat-trick, any remote hopes ended for Burley's men.
INTER MILAN: Toldo, Javier Zanetti, Cordoba, Di Biagio, Gresko, Okan, Farinos, Emre (Sergio Conceicao 90), Guglielminpietro, Vieri (Ronaldo 79), Kallon. Subs Not Used: Fontana, Seedorf, Georgatos, Adriano, Ventola. Booked: Vieri, Gresko, Di Biagio. Goals: Vieri 18, 34, Kallon 46, Vieri 70.
IPSWICH: Sereni, Makin, Bramble, Venus, Hreidarsson, George (Counago 60), Holland, Magilton (Peralta 70), Clapham, Naylor (Armstrong 46), Wright. Subs Not Used: Branagan, Tommy Miller, McGreal, Gaardsoe. Booked: Wright, Makin. Goals: Armstrong 79 pen.
Referee: A Sars (France).
