(MENAFN- Trend News Agency)
Hakan Calhanoglu fired Inter Milan to a 1-0 win over Barcelona
on Tuesday which ended the Italians' recent troubles and boosted
their hopes of making the knockout stages of the Champions League,
reports citing .
Inter headed into the Group C clash at the San Siro in dreadful
form having lost five of the previous 10 matches in all
competitions but Turkey midfielder Calhanoglu ended the crisis talk
when he lashed in the only goal of the game on the stroke of
half-time.
Simone Inzaghi will also be smiling as his position as Inter
coach was being discussed before his team won a match which moves
them above Barca and into second place in the group.
Inter are now three points ahead of the Catalan giants and the
same amount behind leaders Bayern, who smashed Viktoria Plzen 5-0
earlier on Tuesday.
They had to survive a series of scares in the second half, with
Ousmane Dembele hitting the post and Pedri having a goal ruled out
for handball in the 68th minute following a VAR check as a tired
Inter sank back into their own area late on.
But unlike in recent weeks Inzaghi's well-drilled team weren't
punished for the few errors they made.
Calhanoglu fired off an early warning to Barca when he let rip
with a long-range effort in the seventh minute which Marc-Andre ter
Stegen did well to tip the bar.
That was one of several counter-attacks launched in the opening
half by the hosts, who were content to sit back and soak up the
inevitably long spells of Barca possession which mostly came to
nothing.
Robert Lewandowski was isolated up front as Inter initially
controlled the rhythm of the game and caused discomfort for the
away side when they did burst forward.
Midway through the first half Inter thought they had been given
a penalty when referee Slavko Vincic checked the pitchside monitor
for a handball by Eric Garcia, only for Lautaro Martinez to be
ruled as having strayed offside in the build-up.
However Inter had their reward two minutes into first half
stoppage time when Calhanoglu collected Federico Dimarco's pass and
drilled a low shot into the bottom corner.
Barca were more dangerous after the break and were unlucky not
to be level just after the hour mark when huge gaps opened up in
the Inter defence for the first time but Ousmane Dembele could only
smash a great opportunity off the near post.
The away fans were celebrating shortly afterwards thanks in part
of Andre Onana, who flapped at a cross and patted it down to Pedri,
who tucked in a simple finish.
However it was soon the San Siro who let out a huge roar of
relief as after another on-field review Vincic spotted Garcia
handling the ball before it dropped to Pedri and re-established the
home side's slender lead.
Inter fans' hearts were in their mouth again in stoppage time, a
long VAR check for a possible Denzel Dumfries handball eventually
going in the favour of the Netherlands wing-back and securing a
precious three points for the hosts.
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