Cristian Chivu believes his Inter side "were ready to suffer" in their Champions League meeting with Shakhtar Donetsk.

Having lost their opening two games in the league phase this season, Inter finally got into the win column after defeating Shakhtar 1-0 at San Siro.

Carlos Augusto scored the winner in the 77th minute for the Nerazzurri, who saw Alessandro Bastoni receive two yellow cards in two minutes and 18 seconds after the hour mark.

Inter ended their four-game losing streak in the Champions League, as well as their four-game losing streak in home games in the competition.

Augusto has scored in each of his last two games in the Champions League, after scoring just one goal across his first 27 games in the competition.

Chivu praised his side's resilience in the win, claiming Inter lacked fight in their previous defeats.

"I think our Champions League results in the last year and a half left some traces and it showed in the first half," Chivu told Sky Sport Italia.

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"It wasn't a bad start, but as the match went on, we got a bit worried about maintaining organisation against a quality side that can pass it well. We did hold back a bit, but rediscovered a little energy, mobility and the right runs with the triple substitution.

"After that, we went down to 10 men and were able to add that something extra we had been lacking. We rolled our sleeves up, realised we needed to do everything to stay united.

"It's not always the prettiest football that gets you results, sometimes you need heart and mentality, accepting that extra effort. It's what the lads did.

"We were ready to suffer and I feel that was something we'd lacked before."