Robbie Keane's competitive career with Serie A side Inter Milan got off to a disappointing start in Helsingborg last night when, despite a more than satisfactory performance from the Irish striker, Inter were beaten 1-0 by their Swedish hosts in a Champions League preliminary-round, firstleg tie.

Although Inter had, for long periods, looked the better of the two sides, the Italian team lost out to an 82nd-minute goal from Swedish midfielder Michael Hansson. The decisive goal came late in the match at a time when Inter were clearly under pressure from the much fitter Swedish side.

Whilst this was Inter's first competitive match of the season, last night's game, of course, came midway through the Swedish first division season. Inter now face a tricky return match at the San Siro in Milan in a fortnight's time. As for Keane, the Irishman sounded one of the more positive notes of a disappointing Inter evening. Playing alongside Turkish striker Hakan Sukur for the first 70 minutes and then with Chilean striker Ivan Zamorano, Keane was constantly in the thick of the action. A brilliant through pass from Keane to midfielder Andrea Pirlo in the 21st minute might have changed the course of the game. Sent through by the Irishman, Pirlo fluffed his chance, shooting into the arms of Helsingborg goalkeeper Sven Andersson.

Just before half-time, Keane again moved well to make himself available for a precise pass from midfielder Cristiano Brocchi. Having set himself up for a left-footed shot, however, Keane was denied by a good save from goalkeeper Andersson.

The second half opened as the first had ended. Having received another good ball from Brocchi, Keane produced perhaps his neatest footwork of the evening, feinting first one way and then the other to leave Helsingborg's Stig Persson and Hansson on their backsides before knocking in a cross that was fractionally too high for Sukur.

But the Swedish side's superior fitness began to tell. Hansson's 82nd-minute corner was cleared, but it was knocked all the way back to him unmarked. Hansson hit the ball full on the volley, leaving goalkeeper Sebastian Frey little chance.

Helsingborg (4-5-1): S Andersson; R Nilsson, O Nilsson, Matovak, Persson; C Andersson, Wahlstedt (S Johannson 73), Jansson, Johansen, Hansson; Santos.

Inter Milan (4-4-2): Frey; Cordoba, Ferrari, Blanc, Domoraud (Macellari, 46); Brocchi, Jugovic, Cauet, Pirlo (Seedorf, 75); Sukur (Zamorano, 69) , Keane.