Inter celebrates after crazy stoppage time
Inter Milan fight their way to quarterfinals © AFP/SID/PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA
After AC Milan, local rivals Inter are also in the quarter-finals of the CL. The Nerazzurri were very fortunate in stoppage time, however.
Inter Milan are in the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in twelve years.
With a bit of luck and some skill, the Italian soccer cup winners fought a 0-0 draw at FC Porto and successfully defended their 1-0 lead from the first leg. After city rivals AC had submitted, both Milan’s top clubs are now represented in the last eight, as was the case last time in 2006.
Inter, who had to do without national player Robin Gosens (Wade), had to survive one or the other tricky situation with the Portuguese champions – especially in stoppage time.
First Denzel Dumfries saved from the line, then Mehdi Taremi hit the post. Just a few moments later Marco Grujic’s ball hit the crossbar.
Under the direction of World Cup final referee Szymon Marciniak (Poland), the Nerazzurri, who were opponents of Bayern Munich in the group stage (0:2/0:2), showed a concentrated defensive performance overall.
The advancement of the three-time Champions League winner was also a triumph for coach Simone Inzaghi, who has been heavily criticized after eight league defeats. Porto sorely missed key players like the injured captain Pepe or the suspended Otavio. Former Hertha player Marko Grujic missed a good opportunity (76′) and hit the crossbar in a wild final phase (90’+6), Mehdi Taremi hit the post (90’+5). Pepe saw yellow-red (90 + 7).
A curious scene occurred at the beginning of the second half. Inter-professional Denzel Dumfries fell to the ground in a duel with Galeno, held on to his pants and tore them down – his opponent was briefly in his panties, the internet boiled over.
