Denzel Dumfries had a rare night off in the Champions League as Inter Milan squeezed past Kairat Almaty at San Siro last night.

According to Corriere dello Sport via FCInterNews, the Dutch wingback was among Inter’s weakest performers, alongside Davide Frattesi.

Despite upholding their perfect league-phase record under Cristian Chivu, the Nerazzurri performed well below their high standard.

Indeed, they eked out a narrow 2-1 win over the Champions League debutants, with Lautaro Martinez and Carlos Augusto scoring on either side of halftime.

Denzel Dumfries Struggles in Inter Milan 2-1 Kairat Almaty Win

Denzel Dumfries Inter Milan
MILAN, ITALY – MARCH 08: Denzel Dumfries of FC Internazionale looks on during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and AC Monza at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on March 08, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Lautaro’s goal on the stroke of halftime catapulted the San Siro giants to a feeble 1-0 lead at halftime.

However, Kairat restored parity at the start of the second half through stand-in captain Ofri Arad.

Dumfries lost track of the Kairat midfielder, allowing him to beat Yann Sommer and cancel out El Toro’s opener.

It was the first goal Inter conceded in this season’s league phase, denying Chivu a piece of continental history.

Indeed, the 45-year-old missed a golden opportunity to become the first Champions League manager to win his first four games without conceding.