Internazionale crosses in the Europa League final with a crushing victory against Shakhtar Donetsk.
Antonio Conte’s side led by a single goal in the interval after Lautaro Martínez put them ahead but their opponents blitzed with four more goals in the second half. Danilo D’Ambrosio increased the lead and Martínez was on target again before Romelu Lukaku’s late double struck the former Manchester United and Everton striker’s Europa League score: he has now scored in his last 10 matches in the competition.
Inter are back in the final of a European league for the first time since their memorable 2009-10 treble under José Mourinho and Friday’s showpiece against Sevilla will be the 10th European final in their history. Shakhtar, who sought to reach their second after winning the Uefa Cup in 2009, will return home with regret after not showing up drastically last night.
Martínez stepped up to the cross of Nicolò Barella after an error by the goalkeeper, Andrei Pyatov, in what was the first attempt of the game on goal. Shakhtar enjoyed the majority of possession, especially in the first half, but looked stumped at how it would handle Conte’s organized and disciplined defensive unit. The Ukrainian side finally bid a bit late in the first half when Marcos Antonio’s long lane effort flew narrowly over the crossbar.
Another mistake early in the second half Inter started a second goal. Davit Khocholava appeared on cue near the post, and steered it past the goalie. After a short tussle with the defender, Shakhtar finally tucked the ball home.
Shakhtar had a golden opportunity to equalize just after the hour mark. It looked like a carbon copy of the goal that Inter scored in the first half. Mykola Matviyenko swung in a cross and Júnior Moraes hit it with a header, but his effort was directed at Samir Handanovic. Every side of him and it would have been a goal.
It proved pivotal when Inter immediately fell the opposite end and extended their lead when D’Ambrosio came in from a corner of Marcelo Brozovic. Martínez shot in the second goal of the game after 74 minutes with a low shot of 20 yards before Lukaku came on the scoreboard four minutes later, and calm Pyatov struck when he put one-on-one with the goalkeeper. The Belgian scored seven minutes from time again, showing a good turn in pace to run past his marker before shooting past Pyatov once more.
‘It’s an incredible night, the kind we dreamed of. “It’s been a long time since I played such a game and we have shown that Inter are ready for the big games,” Martínez told Sky Sport Italia. “I am very happy for the team, which is playing well and growing game after game.”
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