Inter end Benfica's European adventure with a thrilling draw
Inter Milan ended Benfica's European adventure, after they drew together (3-3), at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, on Wednesday evening, in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals.
The Nerazzurri qualified for the semi-finals of the European Championship, taking advantage of last week's 2-0 away victory, to set up a date with Milan in a thrilling Italian derby.
Inter took the lead through Nicolo Barella in the 14th minute, before Frederic Orsenis equalized for the guests in the 38th minute.
Inter Milan end Benfica's European adventure with a thrilling draw
The Nerazzurri returned to score two consecutive goals through Lautaro Martinez (66) and Joaquin Correa (78), before Antonio Silva scored Benfica's second goal (86) and Peter Moussa equalized in the minute (90 + 5).
The start was quiet from both sides until the 14th minute, where Barella managed to score the first goal with individual skill after receiving the ball after it was cleared from Otamendi to reach Barella, who passed the ball "One-Two" with Lautaru, and returned to Barella, who dribbled the defender and fired an excellent shot with his left into the net.
And almost Vlachodemos goalkeeper Benfica,s to gift Inter the second goal seconds after Barella's goal, after he came out trying to catch a cross, to fall from his hand in front of Dzeko, but the latter managed to return and catch it.
Benfica had a first chance in the 31st minute, after a free kick set in front of the penalty area, carried out by Chikinho with a direct and perfect shot from over the wall to shine with Inter goalkeeper Onana and save it twice.
In the 38th minute, Benfica's equalized the result through Frederic Orcens, who took advantage of an excellent cross from Rafa Silva on the right side, around it with a rocket header into the Nerazzurri net.
Lautaro was able to put his mark by scoring the second goal for Inter in the 66th minute, after several touches with the feet of the Inter players to reach Mkhitaryan, who passed an excellent through ball to Marco, and in turn the latter passed a cross in front of the goal to be met by Lautaro with a shot into the net.
Inter was close to threatening Benfica's goal and scoring the third goal, after a quick counter-attack launched by Lautaro and Dzeko against only one player from Benfica, to try Lautaro pass to Dzeko to solo goal, but the Benfica defender succeeded in putting his foot and keeping the ball away.
Inter coach Simone Inzaghi made a triple substitution with the exit of Lautaro, Dzeko and Barella, to push Correa, Lukaku and Kalhangolo instead of them in the 76th minute.
Suafter only two minutes of participation, after receiving Di Marco's pass, to pass distinctively from Otamendi and launch a fatal shot into the far corner of the goalkeeper, to hit the post and pass into the net in the 78th minute.
Benfica succeeded in reducing the score in the 86th minute through Antonio Silva, who took advantage of a free kick carried out with a cross inside the area, to be met with a header in the far corner of Onana.
Beitar Moussa equalized the result for Benfica in the 90+5 minute, after a cross from the left side, the defense failed to disperse it to pass to Moussa, who fired a ground shot into the net, and the meeting ends with a draw (3-3) and Inter qualified.