Don’t worry, Romelu will take care of it. Inter won the first leg of the round of 16 of the Champions League against Porto thanks to a goal from Lukaku, who went on and gave Simone Inzaghi’s Nerazzurri victory in the final with a paw from him. The first 90′ of the double challenge with Sergio Conceicao’s Portuguese side are a battle made of tension and many mistakes, but in the end, in a packed San Siro, it is the hosts who emerge victorious, after trembling on several chances granted to the Dragons. Inter immediately tries to play the game, while Porto closes and tries to restart. After an initial study phase, the first opportunity came to Lautaro Martinez, whose header from Dimarco’s cross ended high. Calhanoglu also tries with a right footed shot from a tight angle which almost surprises Diogo Costa, good at saving himself for a corner. However, the visitors weren’t just watching, with Grujic kicking high from the edge in the first offensive gust. The best chance came shortly after, when Taremi again served Grujic with his back-heel: the Serbian’s right-footed shot was well saved by Onana, but Galen’s header missed the unguarded goal in the rebound. Nervousness for long stretches of the match reigns supreme and a contrast between Zaidu and Darmian in the area, on which Jovanovic and the Var let it go (with more than a few doubts), ignites spirits. Inter put the ball out to rescue the Italian full-back and hope for the Var, Porto tried the trick without returning the ball by igniting a half-brawl on the pitch, without however major consequences. In the end of the first half, the Nerazzurri again came close to taking the lead, but Diogo Costa surpassed himself with a great reflex from Bastoni’s header. The second half started with Inter still up front, Barella’s right footed by Skriniar’s throw however went off the back from a good position. However, Porto showed up dangerously on the counterattack, with Onana called to respond to a right-footed shot by Taremi on the net. In the open field, the Portuguese still make San Siro tremble and need a super Onana with a double save on Zaidu and Taremi to keep a clean sheet again. Inzaghi also plays the Lukaku card to try to revive his parents after too many dangers. Also because Porto, driven by the more than 5,000 fans who arrived in Milan, is gaining more and more confidence minute by minute. And the entry of the Belgian works, because Inter raise their heads and push again, with Lautaro not reaching by centimeters on an assist from Lukaku’s kiss with an unguarded goal. The match changed towards the end, when Otavio was given a second yellow card for a foul on Calhanoglu. Inter in numerical superiority raises the pressure and this time the advantage arrives: cross from Barella for Lukaku who heads the post but on the rebound he is the quickest to repeat on the net. The Belgian even nearly doubled the lead shortly after following the development of a corner, finding another excellent intervention by Diogo Costa. It’s the last emotion, the first 90′ are for the Nerazzurri: appointment for the return on March 14th in Portugal.
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