Inter draw with Benfica and advance to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League

The wait is finally over. After 13 years, Internazionale Milan is qualified for the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. The ranking took place after the final whistle in today’s match, in the 3-3 draw with Benfica, at Estádio Giuseppe Meazza.

In the first half, there was a lot of balance between the two teams. In the 14th minute of the game, Nicolo Barella countered with Lautaro Martínez, made a beautiful individual move, getting rid of two markers and finished in the right corner of goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos, scoring a beautiful goal for Inter Milan. Before the break, Benfica would reach the equalizing goal. In the 38th minute, Rafa Silva crossed from the right and found Fredrik Aursnes in the middle of the area. The Norwegian headed high, with no chances for Onana and left everything the same on the scoreboard.

In the second half, Benfica had more possession of the ball and tried to attack more. But it was Inter who scored first. In the 65th minute of the game, Dimarco made a low cross that found Lautaro Martínez free in the small area. The Argentine striker sent it to the back of the net. The advantage of the Italian team would be greater 13 minutes later. Once again on the left side, Dimarco found Joaquin Correa inside the area. The Argentine adjusted his body and finished in the left corner of Vlachodimos. The ball touched the crossbar before going in.

Needing to score four goals to take the match to extra time, Benfica’s situation was impossible to reverse. But the Portuguese team would still manage to tie the game. With 5 minutes left for the end of regulation time, Grimaldo got up to the area for Antonio Silva to head in the right corner of Onana, discounting it on the scoreboard. And in the 95th minute of the game, Petar Musa took advantage of a cross from the left and kicked hard, low, in the middle of the goal, to tie the match.

Inter are Champions League semi-finalists! pic.twitter.com/lwyMpYX2Ob

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 19, 2023

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_{Internazionale is a UEFA Champions League semi-finalist (Reproduction/Twitter)}

This is the first time that Internazionale will play in the semi-finals of the European Champions League after 13 years, when they won the title in 2010. And the opponent is very familiar: Milan.

Internazionale and Milan meet again in the semi-final of Europe’s top club competition after 20 years. On that occasion, Milan advanced to the final after two draws. In the 2004-05 season, the two clubs from Milan also faced each other in the knockout stage of the competition, but that year the clashes were worth the quarterfinals. Once again Milan would advance.

Featured photo: Lautaro Martínez finishes to score Inter’s second goal against Benfica. Reproduction / Inter