Two uncontested headers by Marcus Thuram were enough for Inter Milan to see off Ajax 2-0 as the Amsterdammers made an undistinguished return to the Champions League.

Ajax struggled to get out of their own half for the opening 15 minutes as last year’s losing finalists took control, but their only real glimpse of goal came when goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros almost fumbled an early cross into the path of Thuram.

Anton Gaaei recorded Ajax’s first shot on target with a high shot, before Ajax came close to taking the lead five minutes from the end of an increasingly cagey first half.

Oliver Edvardsen spotted the entire Inter defence in Ajax’s half and sent Mika Godts racing clear with a scything pass, but the Belgian’s shot was just too close to Yann Sommer, allowing the Swiss goalkeeper to save with his feet.

Inter went straight up the other end and won a corner which Hakan Çalhanoğlu whipped in for Thuram to crash home at the near post before the Ajax defence could blink.

It got worse for Ajax a minute into the second half as Çalhanoğlu once again found Thuram near the penalty spot and the Frenchman outjumped the defence to score his second.

Inter dropped back after that, allowing Ajax space in midfield while denying them any real chances, although substitute Kasper Dolberg came closest with a header and late half-chance from Anton Gaaei’s clever chip across the face of goal.

Ajax’s next Champions League match is a trip to Marseille on September 30, when they will have to play in a stadium without their own fans after French authorities banned them from travelling.