Inter entered the game on Wednesday on a terrible run of form, with their lone victory in their previous eight contests coming in last week’s first leg in Portugal.
After a 3-3 draw with Benfica on Wednesday, Inter Milan advanced 5-3 on aggregate to set up a thrilling clash in the Champions League semifinals.With goals from Nicolo Barella, Lautaro Martinez, and Joaquin Correa, Simone Inzaghi’s team qualified easily and will meet regional rivals AC Milan in the semifinals. Since Inter last claimed victory in the continent’s premier club championship in 2010, both Milan juggernauts are vying to become the first Serie A team to do so.
We deserved to advance after the two games since it was a tremendous occasion for everyone at the club, said Inzaghi.
The players were outstanding in the two games. It’s a goal of ours to advance all the way, so now that we are here, we want to attempt.
Inter entered the game on Wednesday on a terrible run of form, with their lone victory in their previous eight contests coming in last week’s first leg in Portugal.
After the Italian champions defeated Napoli on Tuesday night, the victory set up two tantalising matchups with Milan for the following month.
Additionally, it ended Inter’s three-match home losing skid during which they were without a goal and extended their successful season in cup competitions despite their unsuccessful league campaign.
With their goals, Martinez and Correa not only put an end to troubling goal droughts, but also ensured that goals from Fredrik Aursnes, Antonio Silva, and Petar Musa for the opposition had little bearing on the outcome of the match.
Martinez said, “We’re incredibly thrilled and honoured to represent the badge and this amazing club.
“We were aware that this meant participating in a derby in the Champions League semifinals if we advanced. I compete in this sport to achieve the greatest level of success, therefore I’m thrilled to have qualified for the semifinals. This club deserves to be there.
When Inter had already long since ensured that they would be battling Milan for a spot in the June 10 final in Istanbul, Silva and Musa scored late goals for Roger Schmidt’s club.
If there were any pre-match jitters among the sold-out San Siro crowd, they were quickly allayed as Inter played right away like the club that had advanced to two cup semifinals rather than the one that had suffered 11 Serie A defeats.
As early as the sixth minute, they should have taken the lead when Lautaro squandered a wonderful counterattack by sending a shoddy ball to Federico Dimarco who was racing into the box.
However, Martinez made amends for the opening goal by seizing the ball when Edin Dzeko engaged the Benfica defenders and passing to Barella, who sent a left-footed curler into the top left corner.
The Norwegian midfielder was left all alone and was able to force a header past Andre Onana seven minutes before halftime thanks to a defensive blunder by Aursnes.
Prior to the game, Inzaghi promised that Inter would not only play defence as Benfica fought for an improbable advancement to the next round.
Martinez made sure Inter would advance in the 68th minute as Benfica fans started hurling flares at home supporters from the exclusive away stand.
Dimarco was neatly found by Henrikh Mkhitaryan and the full-back put in a fizzing cross which Martinez expertly guided home to net his first goal since early March.
And a perfect night for Inter fans was completed with 12 minutes remaining when Correa shrugged off Nicolas Otamendi and curled in his first goal since early October.
Silva nodded home Alejandro Grimaldo’s cross with four minutes remaining but the home crowd was already singing ribald songs about Milan fans.
And Musa’s low finish deep in stoppage time, which Inzaghi later said they conceded because someone had blown a referee’s whistle in the crowd, was nothing more than a second consolation for the defeated Portuguese.
