UCL | Inter 1-0 RB Leipzig: Clinical Nerazzurri march on | OneFootball

Inter could perhaps have been more comfortable, but squeezed past RB Leipzig 1-0 at San Siro with Castello Lukeba’s own goal proving enough.

The Nerazzurri had won every game in the tournament save for the opening 0-0 draw away to Manchester City and were on fine Serie A form too. Francesco Acerbi was the only absentee, though squad rotation saw Mehdi Taremi partner Lautaro Martinez with Hakan Calhanoglu and Federico Dimarco returning to the starting XI. It was a dismal start for the Germans, who lost every game including a fumbled lead against 10-man Juventus. Eljif Elmas, Yussuf Poulsen, Netherlands international Xavi Simons, El Chadaille Bitshiabu, Lukas Klostermann, Xaver Schlager and David Raum were out of action.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Denzel Dumfries couldn’t get enough accuracy onto his header at the back post on a Federico Dimarco corner routine, while Lautaro Martinez scuffed at the volley from the edge of the area.

Inter broke the deadlock with a bit of luck, because Dimarco’s free kick went past everyone and ricocheted in off Castello Lukeba at the back post.

Only some chaotic defending managed to prevent a second Inter goal on 31 minutes, Benjamin Pavard’s header on a Hakan Calhanoglu free kick practically cleared off the line by Christoph Baumgartner.

There was bad news for Inter, as Pavard was running when he suddenly pulled up clutching the back of his left thigh and limped off.

MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 26: Benjamin Pavard of FC Internazionale and Benjamin Henrichs of RB Leipzig compete for the ball during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD5 match between FC Internazionale Milano and RB Leipzig at Stadio San Siro on November 26, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Dumfries should’ve scored straight after the restart, beginning the move inside his own half with a nutmeg and then getting to the far post to meet the Lautaro Martinez return pass, only to balloon the finish over.

Calhanoglu’s swerving and dipping long-range strike also troubled the goalkeeper, while Mehdi Taremi accidentally got in the way of a Piotr Zielinski volley.

Kampf blasted not too far wide from the edge of the area and Nusa forced Yann Sommer into a rare one-handed save when cutting inside from the left, but that RB Leipzig injury crisis got worse when substitute Assan Ouedraogo got his studs caught in the turf and seemed to sprain his knee.

Dimarco floated a cross to the back post for the Marcus Thuram header, steered onto the roof of the net from a tight angle.

Inter did have the ball in the net in stoppages with Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s tap-in, but the referee disallowed it for what he felt was a rather soft Thuram foul in the build-up.

Lukeba og 27 (I)

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