Inter Milan, left, and Ludogorets line-up inside the empty San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy ahead of their Europa League round of 32 second leg soccer match Thursday Feb. 27, 2020. Inter beat Ludogorets 2-1 in an empty stadium as a precaution because of the virus outbreak in Italy. (Emilio Andreoli, UEFA via AP )
The Associated Press
MILAN (AP) - The voices of the players and both coaches could clearly be heard at an empty San Siro as Inter Milan beat Ludogorets 2-1 on Thursday to advance into the last 16 of the Europa League.
Cristiano Biraghi and Romelu Lukaku scored for Inter after Cauly had given Ludogorets a surprise lead. Inter progressed 4-1 on aggregate.
No fans were allowed into the stadium as a precaution as authorities try to contain a spreading virus that has made northern Italy the focal point of the outbreak in Europe. The epicenter of the outbreak is in the Lombardy region, and Milan is its capital.
Journalists were also barred from the stadium, apart from broadcast rights holders.
The Ludogorets team had arrived at Milan's Malpensa airport on Wednesday wearing protective face masks and gloves. Most wore the protective gear as they entered the stadium on Thursday as well.
Italy has reported a total of 650 cases of the new coronavirus, up from 400 on Wednesday evening and three a week ago. Three more people with the virus died in 24 hours, bringing Italy's toll to 15.
Italy has closed schools, museums and theaters in the two hardest hit regions and troops are enforcing quarantines around 10 towns in Lombardy and the epicenter of the Veneto cluster, Vo'Euganeo.
Four Serie A matches scheduled for last weekend were postponed. Five games this weekend will be played in empty stadiums, including the top-of-the-table clash between Juventus and Inter Milan.
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A general view inside the empty San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy during the Europa League round of 32 second leg soccer match between Inter Milan and Ludogorets on Thursday Feb. 27, 2020. Inter beat Ludogorets 2-1 in an empty stadium as a precaution because of the virus outbreak in Italy. (Emilio Andreoli, UEFA via AP)
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Bulgarian soccer team Ludogorets players, wearing protective face masks, get on a coach bus heading to the San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020. Ludogorets is playing Italian club Inter Milan in a Europa League soccer match on Thursday that is scheduled to go ahead in an empty stadium due to the coronavirus outbreak. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
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Bulgarian soccer team Ludogorets coach Pavel Vrba wears a protective face masks as he sits in the coach bus heading to the San Siro stadium, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020. Ludogorets is playing Italian club Inter Milan in a Europa League soccer match on Thursday that is scheduled to go ahead in an empty stadium due to the coronavirus outbreak. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
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Bulgarian soccer team Ludogorets, wearing protective face masks get on a coach bus heading to the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020. Ludogorets is playing Italian club Inter Milan in a Europa League soccer match on Thursday that is scheduled to go ahead in an empty stadium due to the coronavirus outbreak. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
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A Bulgarian soccer team Ludogorets staffer disinfects his hands on a coach bus heading to the San Siro stadium Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020. Ludogorets is playing Italian club Inter Milan in a Europa League soccer match on Thursday that is scheduled to go ahead in an empty stadium due to the coronavirus outbreak. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
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Stewards stand at a gate of the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020. Ludogorets is playing Italian club Inter Milan in a Europa League soccer match on Thursday that is scheduled to go ahead in an empty stadium due to the coronavirus outbreak. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
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Carabineri (Italian paramilitary police) patrol outside the San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020 prior to the Europa League match between Inter Milan and Ludogorets. Ludogorets is playing Italian club Inter Milan in a Europa League soccer match on Thursday that is scheduled to go ahead in an empty stadium due to the coronavirus outbreak. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
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Bulgarian soccer team Ludogorets wearing protective face masks sit on a coach bus heading to the San Siro stadium, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020. Ludogorets is playing Italian club Inter Milan in a Europa League soccer match on Thursday that is scheduled to go ahead in an empty stadium due to the coronavirus outbreak. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
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In this handout photo members of Bulgarian soccer team Ludogorets, wearing protective face masks arrive at Malpensa airport in Milan, Italy, Wednesday Feb. 26, 2020. Ludogorets arrived in Italy to play Italian club Inter Milan in a Europa League soccer match on Thursday that is scheduled to go ahead in an empty stadium due to the coronavirus outbreak.(Ludogorets FC via AP)
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In this handout photo members of Bulgarian soccer team Ludogorets, wearing protective face masks arrive at Malpensa airport in Milan, Italy, Wednesday Feb. 26, 2020. Ludogorets arrived in Italy to play Italian club Inter Milan in a Europa League soccer match on Thursday that is scheduled to go ahead in an empty stadium due to the coronavirus outbreak.(Ludogorets FC via AP)
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In this handout photo members of Bulgarian soccer team Ludogorets, wearing protective face masks arrive at Malpensa airport in Milan, Italy, Wednesday Feb. 26, 2020. Ludogorets arrived in Italy to play Italian club Inter Milan in a Europa League soccer match on Thursday that is scheduled to go ahead in an empty stadium due to the coronavirus outbreak.(Ludogorets FC via AP)
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