[ad_1]
Inter staggered as Real Madrid clinched a final 3-2 win at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano in the Champions League on Tuesday, having rallied two goals against.
Behind goals from Karim Benzema and Sergio Ramos, the Nerazzurri appeared to have earned a point when Lautaro Martínez finished off a magnificent reverse pass from Nicolo Barella, before Ivan Perisic quietly scored the equalizer in the second half.
Just as they were on the rise, Inter broke down with a good shot from substitute Rodrygo at the end, leaving them winless in Group B after three games.
Real Madrid got off to a brilliant start and Samir Handanovic was forced to make an excellent save after Marco Asensio’s shot from close range in the opening minutes.
At the other end, Inter wasted a quick counterattack when Perisic controlled a pass exchanged in the box and took out Thibaut Courtois, before over-hitting a cross to Barella with the goal wide open, and the midfielder was in a stretch when his header hit the crossbar. .
Moments later, Martinez lunged for a fumble in the area, but his shot was too close to Courtois. With both sides making careless mistakes, Arturo Vidal was able to take control of the ball in midfield and fire a violent blow into the side net.
When the hosts began to press, their former player Achraf Hakimi gifted them a first match. Benzema intercepted the winger’s terrible pass from the midline and was right around the stranded Handanovic to fit in on goal.
Just eight minutes later, Real Madrid doubled their lead and piled on more misery as an Inter defense failed to pick up Ramos from a corner kick, allowing the central defender a free header to score his 100th goal for the club.
However, the Nerazzurri cut the deficit in half immediately with some flair, courtesy of an impressive Barella shoe on the volley to free Martinez, and the Argentine did well to shoot under pressure.
Inter came out in the second half on their front foot, with Barella finding space between the lines and Perisic following up on a Marcelo Brozovic free kick well blocked after a feisty defense in the area.
However, it should have been 3-1 at the hour mark when Rodrygo gave Real Madrid a spark from the bench, met up with Benzema’s direct pass on the edge of the area and opened up a bit.
However, that failure appeared to be costly as Inter completed their comeback at the other end. Vidal knocked down a poor punt and threw the ball into the area for Martinez, who deftly nodded for Perisic to finish off coldly.
After having looked in full control, Real Madrid were almost behind with a quarter of an hour to go, as the visitors missed two golden opportunities. After Martinez pounced on a sloppy touch from Ferland Mendy to lunge and bend the ball just past the post, Perisic also took off, but was only able to punch wide.
Just when Inter seemed ready to turn the game around, they were stunned by a punch from Rodrygo. The Brazilian moved away from Vidal to blast a Vinicius Junior cross to the roof of the net with 10 minutes remaining, without giving Handanovic a chance.
It should have been finished shortly after, as Benzema was unmarked at the back post by a Vázquez center, but the Frenchman completely misjudged the center from just a few yards.
However, Real Madrid held fast to victory to seal their first Champions League win in six, while Inter remain entrenched at the end of Group B midway.
Post Real Madrid super-sub Rodrygo stuns Inter after comeback dwindles to nothing first appeared on Forza Italian Football.
Source: forzaitalianfootball.com
[ad_2]
