Inter Milan 1-0 Atletico Madrid: Marko Arnautovic palms hosts f

He wanted three makes an attempt however former West Ham ahead Marko Arnautovic lastly hit the goal to offer Inter Milan a slender lead over Atletico Madrid of their Champions League last-16 first leg.

The Austrian got here on on the break for the injured Marcus Thuram and headed Inter’s first second half likelihood broad. Then on the hour he spurned an excellent opening after enjoying a wall go with Lautaro Martinez.

Axel Witsel bought a contact on the Argentine’s return ball to the Austrian nevertheless it nonetheless ran to him. Just exterior the six-yard field he solely had Jan Oblak to beat however he leaned again and fired over.

When alternative knocked for the third time he made no mistake. Reinildo Mandava misplaced possession simply inside his personal half. Martinez broke rapidly and shot goalwards. Oblak saved effectively however the ball ran to Arnautovic and this time he scored for all that Samuel Lino desperately tried to scramble his shot away on the aim line.

It was not more than Inter deserved after dominating the sport in opposition to Diego Simeone’s facet. It nonetheless won’t be sufficient in opposition to Atletico who’re formidable at dwelling and can presumable present extra ambition within the second leg.

Marko Arnautovic got here off the bench to attain the profitable aim on the San Siro

The 34-year-old beforehand missed two good possibilities earlier than scoring along with his third try

Inter boast a first-leg benefit over Atletico forward of the reverse fixture in Madrid

The first half was cagey on each side with neither group eager to concede first. But Inter quickly began to indicate the larger attacking menace and so they had three possibilities to open the scoring. First there was a cross that bounced up and appeared to hit Nahuel Molina on the highest of his arm just for referee Istvan Kovacs to sign for play to proceed.

Then got here their finest opening 10 minutes earlier than the break when Rodrigo de Paul’s sloppy go went straight to Thuram and he burst ahead. He bounced off of Witsel’s problem and squared to Martinez whose shot was blocked by Mario Hermoso.

Martinez then set-up Thuram however Jan Oblak made the save as soon as extra. This time the prospect had come after Marcos Llorente had misplaced the ball. Atletico have been missing the precision essential to final 90 minutes in Stadio Giuseppe Meazza with out conceding. 

Inter had come into the sport having misplaced solely certainly one of their final 13 within the Champions League, and that was final season’s closing in opposition to Manchester City.

Atletico Madrid striker Alvaro Morata was largely starved of possibilities within the match

Atletico Madrid supervisor Diego Simeone fumed as his facet did not have a single shot on track

Both groups have been pressured right into a change on the break with the injured Thuram unable to proceed and changed by Arnautovic for Inter. 

Atletico misplaced Jose Gimenez with Stefan Savic approaching and Simeone additionally introduced on a striker when 10 minutes into the second half Saul went off and Alvaro Morata got here on, with Llorente transferring again into midfield.

Denzel Dumfries was subsequent on for Inter and when he bought in behind Atletico’s defence down their left it appeared inevitable that somebody would flip in his cross. Somehow Savic was capable of management and clear with a cool head from inside his personal six-yard field. 

Martinez was subsequent to go shut however his shut ranger glancing header was held by Oblak. Atletico have been rocking again on their heels about to go down. And it was Arnautovic who put them there with the one aim of the sport.