Inter wins again in the Champions League, an own goal condemns Leipzig: 1-0 at San Siro
Three more important points: Leipzig beaten at the end of a match dominated and unlocked thanks to an own goal by Lukeba: Inzaghi at 13 points
An own goal by Lukeba condemns Leipzig at San Siro (Afp/Ansa)
Milan, 26 November 2024 - A Inter European does its part and beats the Leipzig on the fifth day of Champions League to temporarily take the lead alone standings waiting for the others. The Nerazzurri defeated the Germans one to nil Rose thanks to an own goal by Lukeba in the first half, but overall the match was controlled from start to finish by Inzaghi's men who played in a fluid and proactive manner, creating a lot and wasting a lot, but always with control of the game. Inter international in pace and quality and the result is fully deserved. The thirteen points in the standings bring the eighth-finals closer, but there will still be work to do in the next three. The only discordant note is Benjamin's muscle injury Pavard, but otherwise Inzaghi can be largely satisfied with the performance.
Lukeba decides
Inzaghi gives Thuram a rest and launches Taremi in tandem with Lautaro. Calhanoglu returns to the middle. Rose with Openda and Andre Silva, while Sesko is on the bench. Inter starts well, with possession of the ball and controlling the pace, then suddenly attacks vertically, exploiting the movement of the half-wingers and forwards. The first opportunity is signed by Taremis, who fails to capitalise on a well-placed shot on the edge of the area: weak and central right-footed shot. The Nerazzurri come close to scoring in the sixth minute with a splendid combination on the left, ball forward, ball back and ball forward that leads to the cross of Sticks swatted by the goalkeeper with the area well filled by Inter attackers. The home team again shortly after, again on the left, this time with a cross shot from Marco's that Gulacsi has to slap away as best he can into the corner. Inter plays well, with tried and tested schemes, for example the one from the corner with Dimarco, Calhanoglu and Zielinski which leads the left winger to conclude, but the curling shot goes just wide. A frenetic pace for Inzaghi's team, who are trying to make things clear in the face of a Leipzig forced on the defensive and unable to counterattack with quality, because the Nerazzurri's counter-attack is ferocious in winning back the ball and the opportunities are pouring in, like a left-footed shot from Lautaro that ends up centrally in the arms of GulacsiThe Nerazzurri's efforts were rewarded in the 27th minute, thanks to a free kick from the right edge of Marco's who turns towards the door and crosses the heel of Lukeba who sends the ball into his own net: 1-0. Inter comes close to scoring shortly after with a furious melee in front of the goal line in which neither Taremis nor Lautaro manage to find the winning play in the face of a frightened Leipzig defense. The only negative note of the first half occurs in the 43rd minute, when Benjamin Pavard he feels a pull on his thigh and is forced to change, bringing on Bisseck, but overall the Nerazzurri performance is of a great standard and depth, with excellent plays, excellent pace and inciting intensity.
Inter drop in the final
The second half opens immediately with yet another extraordinary action by Inter, started and concluded by Dumfries but he fires a high right-footed shot after a pass from Lautaro. The Nerazzurri's attack takes on, at times, the contours of a siege and an encirclement and in the 50th minute a persistent percussion leads Marco's to cross in the middle, then a furious melee where Lautaro fails to find the appointment with the ball. Inzaghi's team continues with great quality in dribbling: cross from Dumfries and aerial leap from Taremis which ends up high. Rose has to change to give his team a boost and he does so with a triple substitution, bringing on Seiwald, Ouedraogo and, above all, Sesko. Inzaghi responds with Thuram and Carlos Augusto to bring in fresh forces, but Inter still create chances and at half time there is a right-footed shot from Zielinski who crosses Taremi, otherwise it would have been worse trouble for Gulacsi. Leipzig is also unlucky because Oudraogo he gets hurt five minutes after coming on and it's Vermeeren's turn, but the Germans have the first real chance of the match in the 69th minute with a curling right-footed shot from nusa that Sommer has to thwart with open hand. Leipzig, exposing itself, leaves itself open to counterattacks and on yet another escape by Dimarco comes the header of Thuram which ends its parabola above the crossbar. With twenty minutes to go there is a slight decline in Inter, also thanks to the entry of Sesko who gave Leipzig another threat so Inzaghi also chooses Mhitaryan and Arnautovic to try to manage the result. But Leipzig has found courage and is starting to attack Inter's area more consistently, putting Inzaghi's defence in greater difficulty, who saves themselves with difficulty in a couple of circumstances. The coach asks his players not to drop too low, however the Germans managed to come out in the distance taking advantage of the Nerazzurri's decline, moreover without having scored the second goal to close the game. The final therefore is full of emotion and a bit of latent tension. We are heading towards the ninetieth minute with Inter who seem to be able to control the situation and Leipzig no longer have the drive they had before: Mkhitaryan scores the second, but it is not validated due to a previous foul by Thuram, the Germans try, but with less quality, so the result remains as it is and Inter rises to 13 points continuing its journey towards the eighth finals.
Continue reading all the sports news on