Inter Milan were reduced to ten men but beat Celtic 2-0 in a friendly match at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

Luc Castaignos gave I Nerazzurri an early lead in the Dublin Super Cup encounter with a well-taken goal and Giampaolo Pazzini added the Italian side's second moments after they had Thiago Motta sent off.

Neil Lennon's team, who began their Scottish Premier League campaign last weekend, were unable to find a way past goalkeeper Luca Castellazzi when they did manage to break down the Inter defence.

Inter claimed the lead in the seventh minute as Goran Pandev played a one-two before slotting a pass through to Dutch forward Castaignos, who gave Celtic goalkeeper Lukasz Zaluska no chance at his near post.

Motta given marching orders
The Italians were forced to make an early change when Yuto Nagatomo suffered a shoulder injury, with Marco Faraoni coming on, and had Motta and Dejan Stankovic booked.

Georgios Samaras almost levelled it in the 23rd minute when he raced onto a ball over the top from Charlie Mulgrew but his cushioned volley was diverted wide by the fingertips of Castellazzi.

The Inter goalkeeper then dealt comfortably with a low shot from Scott Brown and somehow kept the Bhoys at bay to deny Samaras and Mulgrew in quick succession.

Zaluska prevented Inter doubling their lead as he produced a fingertip save to deny Pazzini following Pandev's tee-up. The Macedonian was proving to be Inter's key creative force and his delicious pass played in Castaignos, who clipped the ball past the onrushing Zaluska but also wide of the post.

Motta was sent off for a challenge on Brown, although the ten men extended their lead seconds later. A ball over the top caught out the Celtic defence and Pazzini got to it before Zaluska to prod home right at the end of the first half.

Inter Milan substitute McDonald Mariga saw a shot blocked as Celtic's defence again looked vulnerable, although they were unlucky not to pull one back 15 minutes from time when substitutes Gary Hooper and Anthony Stokes combined.

Hooper played Stokes through on goal but Castellazzi was equal to his low effort. Inter substitute Faraoni then tested Zaluska with a rising drive as Celtic failed to get on the scoresheet.

City too good for Airtricity XI
In the day's earlier match, Manchester City beat an Airtricity XI 3-0 with Shaun Wright-Phillips and Adam Johnson the most impressive performers for the Blues.

Wright-Phillips gave Roberto Mancini's men the lead eight minutes into the second period as he latched on to a chip over the Irish defence by Gareth Barry. Johnson applied a similarly cool finish when City's summer signing Stefan Savic played the ball over the top and trialist Luca Scapuzzi sealed the win late on.