Inter vs Real Madrid 0-1: Rodrygo Late Winner Upsets Nerazzurri

Real Madrid secured all three points in their Champions League Group D heavyweight clash against Inter, with Rodrygo netting the winning goal with one minute remaining in regulation time.

The early stages weren’t particularly intense, as both teams took a rather cautious approach with their possession play. The home side, however, were the first to test the opposing defence and created their first chance of the game after around ten minutes.

Inter opened up Madrid at the back when Milan Skriniar broke forward and fed Lautaro Martinez. The Argentine laid a first-time pass into the path of Edin Dzeko in the right-inside channel. The forward tried to slot an effort past Thibaut Courtois, but the keeper hold firm to block the shot with his feet.

Inter kept the pressure on by winning a corner on the left flank. Skriniar rose the highest to head Hakan Calhanoglu’s cross towards the net, but his effort went just over the bar. The Nerazzurri gradually began to control the game at their own pace and should have taken the lead through Martinez. The home side launched a counter-attack down the left flank and Ivan Perisic floated a perfect cross into the middle for the Argentine to attack. He powered a header towards goal, but Courtois was well placed to make the stop.

It took Real almost half an hour to create their first decent chance of the game. Luka Modric regained possession around the box and fed Lucas Vazquez, who angled a low delivery to the back post, but Benzema failed to sort out his feet. Both teams came close to taking the lead towards the end of the first half. Eder Militao and Martinez narrowly missed the target with their headers.

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Real started the second half more determined than last season’s Serie A winners and put Inter under an extensive amount of pressure in the first five minutes. Casemiro and Modric worked the ball on the edge of the Inter box before Federico Valverde unleashed an ambitious strike with the outside of his right foot that travelled wide of the left post.

The hosts did not take long to respond. Dzeko rose to head a Calhanoglu corner from the right flank, but Courtois got down brilliantly to deny the Bosnian centre-forward. Skriniar then tried to pounce on the rebound, but couldn’t bring the ball under control.

There were few chances on either end in the next 15 minutes, with both teams keen not to lose their opening Champions League group stage encounter. Vinicius Junior was the most active player of the lot and made a couple of surging runs past Skriniar. However, on both occasions the Slovakian centre-back was covered by Alessandro Bastoni and Stefan de Vrij, thus preventing the Brazilian from doing any further damage.

Real had one last chance to seal all three points and Ancelotti’s men did just that with one minute left in regulation. The visitors took the lead through Rodrygo as he converted a cutback from Eduardo Camavinga into the back of the net to make it 1-0.

 

MATCH SCORECARD

September 15, 2021 – Champions League 2021-2022 Group D
INTER – REAL MADRID 0-1

SCORER: 89′ Rodrygo

REFEREE: Siebert (Germany)
NOTES: Yellow Cards: Lautaro Martinez (I), Alaba (R); Added Time: 1st  Half 1′, 2nd Half 4′