Inter hold Benfica to set Milan derby in semi-final

Inter hold Benfica to set Milan derby in semi-final

Inter manage to hold Benfica at Meazza in a six-goal thriller. The Nerazzurri have reached the semi-finals for the first time since 2010 and will face their city-rivals AC Milan in an epic showdown. The Nerazzurri were coming with an embarrassing loss to Monza over the weekend. But Simone Inzaghi worked his charm again in the Champions League as the Nerazzurri found the first goal to settle the nerves. Benfica could not establish control at the San Siro despite scoring two late goals.

The Nerazzurri were cautious with their press, and Benfica had an early spell of possession. Inter found their early goal to take the game further away with a wonderful goal. Dzeko and Lautaro managed to win the second ball, and the Argentine played it to Barella. The Italian midfielder used his quick feet to stop and shoot from his left foot as he curled it high into the net.

Onana made a crucial stop to deny Grimaldo from a set-piece opportunity. Lautaro Martinez found the net around the half-hour mark, but he committed a foul while doing so. Benfica got some hope as they found the equalizer before half-time. Rafa Silva picked Aursnes at the far post, as Dumfries could not mark his run.

Inter hold Benfica
Image Credits: inter.it

Inter hold Benfica to set up Derby della Madonnina for the semi-finals

Benfica looked better at the start of the second half and were pressing aggressively. Also, Schmidt brought Neres on for Gilberto to change the system and provide more offensive impetus. Aursnes moved to the right-back position with Neres in front of him. So Benfica were overloading the right flank.

The Nerazzurri got another goal to diminish Benfica’s chances as Dimarco combined with Mkhitaryan to deliver a perfect cut-back for Lautaro. The Argentine striker ended his goal drought to make it 5-1 on aggregate. Inzaghi made some changes, and Correa did not take much time to seal the tie for Inter. He got past Otamendi to find the net with a curling effort that went in after hitting the post.

Benfica pushed many bodies forward and found a goal from a free-kick, as Antonio Silva glanced his header past Onana. The Eagles managed to level the tie with another goal in the dying minutes of the stoppage time. They worked a short corner, and Musa swiveled and found the equalizer. However, it was not enough to stop Inter from securing a place in the final four.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *