Inter edged Benfica to a 1-0 Champions League win at the San Siro. Marcus Thuram struck the only goal in the contest that Inter largely dominated throughout. Lautaro Martínez also came close on several occasions to add to his four goals against Salernitana on Saturday.
Benfica were largely outplayed and camped inside their own half during the contest, except for the odd dangerous attack. The defeat extends the Portuguese side’s unwanted record of not tasting victory against Inter in their last six head-to-head meetings.
Inter on Top But Best Chance Goes to Benfica
Inter were happy to concede possession to Benfica in the early stages. But, in a flash, the Nerazzurri swarmed Benfica in midfield and raced forward, allowing Denzel Dumfries to pick up the ball on the right and deliver a dangerous cross that was just too heavy for a sliding Henrikh Mkhitaryan to convert.
Getting into wide areas at pace was the aim for Inter and the hosts looked threatening again moments later. This time, it was Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s drifted ball into the box that Marcus Thuram flicked towards Dumfries at the back post, who headered just over the crossbar.
Although Inter looked the more likely to strike first early on, the best chance in the opening exchanges fell to Benfica. Fredrik Aursnes was given space to run in behind and chase down a long ball forward. The Norwegian steadied himself and hit a low first-time volley towards the bottom corner that Yann Sommer saved low to his left.
Aursnes’ effort proved to be Benfica’s only real chance to strike in the first half. In return, Inter offered little in attack other than a series of half chances that fell for the home side before the break.
Dumfries first snatched at Thuram’s knockdown in the area and shot high and wide. Çalhanoğlu was then first to test Anatoliy Trubin with a harmless shot from 20 yards that the goalkeeper held with ease before Federico Dimarco raced into a dangerous area from the left wing and hit a curling shot straight at Trubin.
Thuram Rewards Nerazzurri’s Persistance
Inter seized control of the match again after half time and continued to show urgency to get off the mark, but with little reward. Yet again, it was Dumfries with a missed opportunity, this time, the biggest of the match for Nerazzurri as Alessandro Bastoni’s deflected cross was headered wide once more by the wing back.
Benfica started to open up defensively, and Inter almost took full advantage when Nicolò Barella raced behind the visitor’s defence and cut back to Lautaro Martínez, whose powerful shot beat Trubin only to bounce back off the crossbar.
Inter showed no signs of letting up in their pursuit of an opener and Martínez rattled the woodwork again with a snapshot from close range that hit the post. Eventually, the San Siro erupted when Thuram provided the home crowd with a deserved goal after the striker met Dumfries’ pass into the area with a sweeping first-time effort that flew past Trubin and into the net.
Inter Dominate Closing Stages
Most of the play continued in Benfica’s defensive half and Inter kept their patience in search of a game-ending second goal. Martinez showed his threat again late on when he broke through the Benfica defence and only had Trubin to beat, but the striker’s low shot was repelled by the goalkeeper who raced off his line to cut out the danger.
Despite controlling most of the play late on, Inter faced a late flurry of Benfica pressure and Arthur Cabral shot just wide from a tight angle.
Martinez continued to provide Inter’s key attacking threat, although Trubin continued to come out on top in their individual battle as the Benfica stopper saved a late close-range shot from the Argentinian.