Mukiele pierces Inter at the last minute: Leverkusen wins 1-0

Leverkusen, 10 December 2024 – The unbeaten run of theInter in the Champions League. Inzaghi's team capitulates in the 90th minute against Bayer Levekusen, Mukiele from a few steps away, and suffers the first goal and the first defeat of the 2024/2025 edition. Not a sparkling match for the Nerazzurri, but conducted defensively well until the end, when a dangling ball in the area ignited Mukiele's right-footed shot that pierced the blameless SummerThe defeat does not compromise the path towards the eighth finals, with Liverpool in the lead and Leverkusen having overtaken them, but Inter now risks being sucked into the central group, even if the away match Prague should provide an important chance to get the missing points. Inzaghi will have to work on the offensive phase, almost absent, and in general on a not very effective maneuver, which had brought the game on the tracks of zero to zero until the end. Or almost. Instead Mukiele found the winning goal for the German overtaking, leaving Inzaghi angry for not having managed the last defensive moments. Inter also not very intense and it will certainly be necessary to raise the level in the continuation of the competition.

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Tella Crossroads

Inzaghi confirms the rumours of the eve with Taremi alongside Thuram, on the wing there are Darmian and Carlos Augusto. Alonso with Wirtz, Tella and Frimpong in the offensive department. He tries to start off strong immediately. Bayer with dribbling and high counter-attack, forcing Inter to immediately lower their centre of gravity and then start a counter-attack. An opportunity immediately arrives in the 4th minute with a right-footed shot by Tella which hits the crossbar squarely. Summer salvo, but the match is complicated because the Germans do not let the Nerazzurri come out and, above all, they always keep the ball. Inter tries to come out in the distance, but lacks precision in the possession phase and Journal he is not worried in the early stages of the match. At 12' the first half chance for the guests with a good play on both sides of the pitch, then the ball to the centre of the area where Taremis, in the fray, does not find the right thrust. Once the initial outburst of the Bayer, Inter were the ones to be preferred in the central phase of the first half, regaining possession of the ball, with a reasoned and less chaotic maneuver and a good evasion of the opponent's pressing to flow into verticality. German ring from distance with Jaca, but Sommer is attentive. Inter are still lively in their offensive pressing and on a steal on Tah Calhanoglu they can't find power and precision with their left foot. Leverkusen have talent and some risks come in the 26th minute with a right-footed shot from half-volley Palacios that grazes the crossbar. The home team comes back with vigour in the last quarter of an hour of the first half, again with an enveloping manoeuvre and with a few more crosses from the edge, again with Palacios creating problems for the Nerazzurri defence. Risks in the 33rd minute when landlord he is freed on the edge of the area but from behind there is the providential intervention of Bisseck to thwart a possible goal-scoring opportunity. The number ten still has a chance shortly after with his right foot, this time Sommer has to stretch out. Nothing else happens in a vibrant but goalless first half, a 0-0 that is all in all fair in the way the match unfolds.

Mukiele hits at the end

The second half still begins with the possession of the Leverkusen that tries to crush Inter, but the maneuver is quite slow and the Nerazzurri defend Sommer's goal well. The opportunity arrives in the 53rd minute with an extraordinary pass from landlord for frimpong who does not find the winning right winger. The game remains in the hands of the Germans and Inter waits, however there is no maneuver to restart on the counterattack and this keeps the defense under tension. Inzaghi then he changes and starts to bring in the starters: in the 56th minute it's the turn of Marco's for Carlos Augusto. The home team's possession continues, sometimes exhausting, to find a gap in a defense that has still not conceded any goals in the Champions League and in fact Inter seems to be holding up well. Bayer, on the other hand, cannot find the verticalization to break through and even the crosses from the back are prey to the defense. The ball is Alonso's, but it almost seems that Inzaghi, in part, has decided to leave it to him and not expose himself. The Germans then try from distance with a right-footed shot Move which takes a strange turn and grazes the post to the left of Sommer. More changes in the 60th minute with Lautaro, Barella and Asllani coming in for Thuram, Calhanoglu and Frattesi, but the match is still less vibrant than the first half and the pace is quite measured. Kovar must not get his gloves dirty while his players play the ball away from the goal, but with poor results in attacking the Nerazzurri area because Sommer is not really called upon either. The match runs towards the 90th minute and in both teams there is no great conviction in trying to win the match, and all in all a draw can be fine for Inter. The pace drops further in the final minutes and the teams' possession phase is without drive and without particular ideas, often with defensive ball circulation more to avoid risks than to do damage. Almost wearily we get to the 90th minute, with Inzaghi who as a last card throws arnautovic to have physicality in front of Taremi's place. It seems that nothing is going to happen, instead in the 90th minute, on a melee in the area, Mukiele he finds the winning ball on his right foot: he just needs to put it in. The Bay Arena explodes with joy and with it also Xabi Alonso. Leverkusen wins and takes a decisive step towards the eighth finals. Inter postponed.