Inter have the 2-1 half-time lead over Bayer Leverkusen, with goals from Nicolò Barella, record-breaking Romelu Lukaku and Kai Havertz, but a penalty decision was also reversed.
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This was the opening tie in the Europa League Final Eight tournament, played entirely in Germany behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Antonio Conte picked the same XI that beat Getafe 2-0 last week, while Leverkusen had Mitchell Weiser and Kerem Demirbay back from suspension, but Charles Aranguiz sat out a ban. Sven Bender picked up an injury during the warm-up, replaced by Jonathan Tah.
Inter scored with their first real chance, a well-worked team move. Lautaro Martinez’s back-heel flick started it, Romelu Lukaku had a shot charged down, but then held off a defender to set up Nicolò Barella, who steered a wonderful finish into the far bottom corner from the edge of the box with the outside of his right boot.
Barella almost completed his brace moments later, set up by a Lautaro Martinez shimmy down the right, but his shot was charged down.
Inter were on fire, as Lukaku showed his extraordinary strength to become the first ever player to find the net in nine consecutive Europa League/UEFA Cup games. He was dragged down by Tah, but still managed to turn and get the finish away from nine yards to beat Hradecky.
It was so nearly 3-0 with Lukaku sent clear by a through ball, but Hradecky stood tall and was able to parry one-on-one.
Instead, it was Bayer who got one back, as Kai Havertz was kept onside by Diego Godin to blast in from six yards, the ball squirming under Samir Handanovic after a smart Kevin Volland pass.
There was more drama moments later, as the referee awarded a penalty for a Daley Sinkgraven handling offence. However, after viewing it again on the VAR monitor, the official acknowledged Sinkgraven had been pulling his arm out of the way and Danilo D’Ambrosio’s cross hit him practically on the shoulder, so the decision was reversed.
Inter 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen (Half-Time)
Barella 15 (I), Lukaku 21 (I), Havertz 25 (L)
Inter: Handanovic; Godin, De Vrij, Bastoni, D’Ambrosio, Barella, Brozovic, Gagliardini, Young; Lukaku, Lautaro Martinez
Bayer Leverkusen: Hradecky; L Bender, Tah, Tapsoba, Sinkgraven; Palacios, Baumgartlinger; Havertz, Demirbay, Diaby; Volland
Ref: Del Cerro Grande (ESP)
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