ITALY: Internazionale defeated Benfica 5-3 on aggregate after a 3-3 draw in the second leg at San Siro. The Italian team had a 2-0 lead from the first leg, but Benfica fought hard and scored twice in the final minutes to return from 3-1 down. Milan and Internazionale will square off in the Champions League semifinal.
In the first half, Fredrik Aursnes equalised for Inter before Antonio Silva and Petar Musa completed a valiant but ineffective comeback. Nicolò Barella, Lautaro Martínez, and substitute Joaquín Correa scored goals for Inter.
Benfica got off to a strong start, but Barella’s stunning curling finish into the corner of the net gave Inter the lead. The midfielder had started the scoring in the previous leg and replicated it with a beautiful finish.
Edin Dzeko, Martínez and Barella combined to give Benfica a three-goal lead, with Barella’s left-footed strike finishing the move. Alessandro Bastoni and Edin Dzeko both squandered clear-cut chances to score when they had the potential to put Benfica two goals behind.
Benfica gained a foothold in the 38th minute to tie the game at halftime. André Onana scored a goal in the Inter goal to deny Chiquinho from long range and corner. Norwegian midfielder Aursnes sprinted in front of Denzel Dumfries to receive a cross from Rafa Silva.
Benfica came out strong after the break, but Inter took the lead in the 65th minute. Federico Dimarco whipped in a cross, Henrikh Mkhitaryan found a gap, and Martínez scored the goal.
Moments later, Correa increased the lead by bending a shot past Odysseas Vlachodimos, seemingly ending the match. The celebrations among the spectators were muted by Benfica’s refusal to let the game go to overtime.
In the 86th minute, Musa added the last goal, bringing the score to 3-2. Antonio Silva had made it 2-1 earlier when he headed in an Alex Grimaldo cross. He was the first to respond to a deflection in the area, turning and blasting past Onana as the Liga leaders of Portugal exited Europe with their battling spirit intact.
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