Inter Milan have a 2-0 lead in their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal tie against SL Benfica after a memorable Tuesday night in Lisbon. Nicolo Barella and Romelu Lukaku were on target in the second half with the Belgium international scoring from a penalty spotted by VAR.
The Italians were the better side in the first half, but had nothing to show for it with their Portuguese hosts holding strong at Estadio da Luz. However, Barella opened the scoring after just six minutes of the second 45 and Odysseas Vlachodimos was all that stood between Simone Inzaghi's men and a second goal.
Andre Onana, to his credit, came up big at times as well. The Cameroonian shot stopper denied Rafa Silva in the first half and Goncalo Ramos at the death to ensure that the Serie A outfit emerged victorious. Benfica had their moments when Joao Mario's cross created mayhem at 1-0, but nobody could score and the former Inter man turned villain minutes later when he conceded a penalty.
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Inzaghi gambled with his substitutions after 63 minutes with a triple change which included throwing Lukaku on and it paid off for the embattled coach who masterminded a big result here. Roger Schmidt's men now face a mammoth task in the second leg when they go to Italy needing to close a two-goal deficit to even hope to take this tie beyond 180 minutes.
The German tactician has seen his Benfica side's form falter at the worst possible time in recent weeks while Inter's ability to produce their best soccer on the continental stage paid dividends once more. Should they fail to overturn the first leg score, it would be As Aguias' second straight UCL quarterfinal exit.
Onana made a big late save from Ramos at the death. The Italians hold on the claim an impressive opening victory and Schmidt's side have it all to do now. Barella and Lukaku's penalty did the damage in the second half and Inzaghi's Nerazzurri now have one foot in the semifinals.
Lukaku from the spot! Mario's handball earns the Italians a shot at a two-goal advantage which the Belgium international takes coolly. Harsh on Vlachodimos who has been great!
Vlachodimos denies Dumfries before a block by Morato. VAR check, though, and Joao Mario is penalized for handball! Lukaku to step up...
Inter turn defense into attack after Benfica were wasteful at the other end. Grimaldo unable to seize a very good opening and the corner was wasted which spawned Barella's shot from range.
Benfica are fortunate to only be one goal down. Their Greek goalkeeper keeps them in it with a big save to deny Inter what would have been an important second goal.
A Joao Mario ball in causes mayhem in the Inter defense, but somehow Benfica fail to score. Good and swift response from the Portuguese hosts, but they will need more than that.
Barella heads home from Bastoni's perfect ball in. Perfectly weighted for the header back across the goalkeeper and no less than Inter deserve despite Benfica's bright start to this second half.
It is goalless at the break. The Italians have certainly had the better of the first half, but they are without a goal to show for it. The home side need to improve in the second 45 if they are to get anything from this opening leg.
It is all Inter of late. The Italians keep pushing forward and looking for the breakthrough. It feels like it is only a matter of time unless Benfica can turn the tide at the break. Goalless at the half would not be bad for the hosts based on this showing.
The Inter defender gets forward and blasts one inches wide from distance. Antonio Silva already booked so walking a tightrope given that he is quite involved so far.
Onana called into action for the first meaningful save of the game. Rafa Silva denied by the Cameroonian after it fell kindly to the Portuguese star. Decent amount of power from Silva, but Onana got his upper body behind it.
Good start from the Italians, this. No clear-cut chances yet, but plenty of the ball in and around the box with Dzeko being targeted with balls into the box as well as an early corner for Inzaghi's side.
The action has now started in Lisbon. Great atmosphere at one of Europe's most impressive venues. Hoping for 90 minutes of soccer to match the noise and color in Portugal.
"We have to hope for a great performance, we prepared very well for moments like this," the goalkeeper told Inter TV. "The tension is always high when representing Inter, but we are used to it. We cannot wait to get out there and play. We need the team spirit that we showed against Porto and Barcelona, this is what makes the difference. We have already proved that we are a team who give their best in the tough games, so I am confident. It is a difficult stadium to play in, we know it will not be easy, but we are prepared."
UEFA Champions League Today, 2 p.m., Paramount+
Benfica vs. Inter, 3 p.m., Paramount+
Manchester City vs. Bayern Munich, 3 p.m., CBS, Paramount+
Tactical cam: Manchester City vs. Bayern Munich, 3 p.m., CBS Sports Golazo Network
UEFA Champions League Post-Match Show, 5 p.m., Paramount+
CBS Sports Golazo Network Post-Match Show, 5 p.m., CBS Sports Golazo Network
CBS Sports Golazo Network will also have network-exclusive postgame coverage
Benfica: Vlachodimos; Gilberto, Antonio Silva, Morato, Grimaldo; Chiquinho, Luis; Rafa Silva, Mario (c), Aursnes; Ramos.
Benfica bench: Samuel Soares, Andre Gomes, Verissimo, Neres, Goncalo Guedes, Tengstedt, Schjelderup, Musa, Rafael Rodrigues, Joao Tome, N'Dour, Joao Neves.
Inter: Onana; Darmian, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Brozovic (c), Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Martinez, Dzeko.
Inter bench: Handanovic, Cordaz, Gagliardini, De Vrij, Gosens, Correa, Bellanova, Asllani, D'Ambrosio, Carboni, Zanotti, Lukaku.
Benfica are in the quarterfinals for the second season in succession but have lost all five ties at this stage of the UEFA Champions League, while Inter have not reached this point since going out as holders to Schalke in 2010-11. Inter claimed their second European Cup at Benfica's expense, Helenio Herrera's side winning 1-0 in the 1965 final at their own San Siro home thanks to a 43rd-minute goal from Jair. Only Bayern Munich, with 12, have suffered more European Cup quarterfinal defeats than Benfica's ten. Benfica have not faced Italian opponents in a knockout tie since beating Juventus 2-1 on aggregate in the 2013-14 UEFA Europa League semifinals (2-1 home, 0-0 away). That made their record in two-legged contests with Serie A sides 5-7 and was their second aggregate win in a row after seven successive defeats. Former Inter midfielder Joao Mario has scored in Benfica's last five UEFA Champions League matches, four of them penalties.
Benfica won four of their six Group H games, the exceptions being two 1-1 draws against Paris Saint-Germain. They finished in first place ahead of the French rivals in the same group with Juventus and Maccabi Haifa. Paired with Club Brugge in the round of 16, Benfica went through with a 2-0 win in Belgium and a 5-1 home success to reach successive European cup quarterfinals for the first time since 1968-69. Inter's Group C campaign started and finished with 2-0 defeats against Bayern Munich, but they remained unbeaten in between those losses, collecting ten points including a decisive four against Barcelona (1-0 at home and 3-3 away) and wrapping up a spot in the knockout stage with a 4-0 success at home to Viktoria Plzen. The Nerazzurri knocked out Porto in the round of 16, winning 1-0 in Milan before holding out for a goalless draw in Portugal.
Benfica: Vlachodimos; Gilberto, Silva, Verissimo, Grimaldo; Luis, Chiquinho; Mario (c), Silva, Aursnes; Ramos.
Inter: Onana; D'Ambrosio (c), De Vrij, Bastoni; Darmian, Barella, Brozovic, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Martinez, Dzeko.
Thank you for joining our coverage of Benfica vs. Inter Milan from Lisbon. We are around two hours away from one of Tuesday's two Champions League quarterfinal ties and it promises to be a cracker. We will be bringing you the best team news and pre-game insight before coverage of the encounter itself so stay with us.
