Inter Milan secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final at the Allianz Arena. Davide Frattesi’s 88th-minute goal handed the Serie A giants a vital advantage ahead of the return leg at the San Siro. The late strike also brought an end to Bayern Munich’s 22-match unbeaten home run in the competition, leaving their hopes of progressing to the semi-finals in jeopardy.
A Strong Start for Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich came into the match as the clear favourites, despite a long injury list affecting their squad. They started brightly, looking dangerous in the early exchanges. Michael Olise caused problems for the Inter defence, and his efforts looked promising, including a shot that just flew wide of the post. Inter, however, struggled to break down Bayern’s well-organized defence, with the hosts continuing to create the better chances.
As Bayern Munich pushed forward, they came close to taking the lead through Harry Kane. In the 23rd minute, Olise’s pass found the England striker, who struck a shot across goal. However, the ball agonisingly hit the outside of the far post, and the visitors were spared from falling behind early.
Inter Milan Break the Deadlock
Despite Bayern Munich’s dominance early on, Inter Milan managed to take the lead against the run of play. In the 39th minute, a low cross from Carlos Augusto caught the Bayern defence off guard. The ball was delivered to Marcus Thuram, who flicked it back to Lautaro Martínez. Martínez calmly struck the ball with the outside of his boot, sending it into the top corner for a beautiful opening goal.
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Second Half: Bayern Respond but Fail to Capitalize
After the break, Inter Milan continued to push forward, creating several opportunities. Martínez had another shot from a difficult angle, but Bayern’s goalkeeper Jonas Urbig was quick to make the save. As the second half progressed, Bayern regained control and began to slow the game down to recover from the early onslaught.
However, Inter continued to frustrate the German side, and Bayern’s offensive play was limited to sporadic efforts. The most notable attempt came from Raphaël Guerreiro, whose volley sailed just over the bar, leaving both teams unable to break the deadlock.
A Frantic Final 10 Minutes
With time running out, the match descended into a dramatic finale. In the 81st minute, Bayern Munich managed to find the equaliser they desperately needed. Joshua Kimmich delivered a cross into the box, and Konrad Laimer expertly brought it down. He sent the ball back across the goal, where Thomas Müller was waiting to poke it home, finding the net with a composed finish.
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The goal seemed to give Bayern a lift, and they looked set to push for a winner. However, the hosts made a crucial mistake just minutes after equalising, allowing Inter Milan to strike back immediately.
Inter Milan’s Stunning Winner
Bayern Munich’s brief moment of joy quickly turned into despair as Inter Milan regained the lead with a stunning counter-attack in the 88th minute. Nicolò Barella played a perfect through ball to Carlos Augusto, who was free on the right side. Augusto squared the ball across the face of goal to an unmarked Frattesi, who calmly finished past Urbig to give Inter a 2-1 lead.
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The Allianz Arena fell silent as the Inter players celebrated their crucial away goal. The late strike from Frattesi gave Inter Milan a significant advantage heading into the second leg, leaving Bayern Munich with much to do in the return match.
Bayern Munich’s Challenge
Bayern Munich now face a difficult challenge ahead of the second leg at the San Siro. Historically, the German giants have never won a European knockout tie after losing the first leg at home. With their 22-match unbeaten home run in the Champions League now broken, Bayern will need to find a way to overturn the deficit and progress to the semi-finals.
For Inter Milan, the 2-1 victory puts them in a strong position to advance to the Champions League semi-finals. The Serie A side is already performing well in domestic competitions, with a chance to lift the Serie A title and the Coppa Italia. If they can successfully hold on to their advantage in the second leg, Inter will remain in contention for a potential treble.
Final Thoughts on the First Leg
Inter Milan’s late winner has given them a vital edge in this highly anticipated quarter-final tie. Despite Bayern Munich’s early dominance and an equaliser from Thomas Müller, it was Frattesi’s composed finish that has handed Inter the advantage. With the return leg at the San Siro looming, both teams will need to bring their best to secure a spot in the Champions League semi-finals.
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