Inter Milan starting XI (3-5-2): Sommer, Akanji, Acerbi (subbed for Bisseck), Bastoni, Luis Henrique, Barella, Calhanoglu (subbed for Zielinski), Mkhitaryan (subbed for Sucic), Dimarco (subbed for Carlos Augusto), Lautaro, Thuram (subbed for Bonny)
Bench: J. Martinez, Taho, de Vrij, Frattesi, Diouf, Cocchi, P. Esposito
Liverpool starting XI (4-2-3-1): Alisson, Gomez (subbed for Bradley), Konaté, Van Dijk, Robertson, Jones, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Ekitiké, Isak (subbed for Wirtz)
Bench: Mamardashvili, Woodman, Kerkez, Nyoni, Ngumoha, Lucky
Goals: Szoboszlai 88’ (Pen)
With Salah out of the squad following his public criticism of the club last week, Dominik Szoboszlai stepped up to score the 88th-minute penalty on Tuesday night at the San Siro which earned a 1-0 win over one of the competition’s best-performing teams.
It was all the more valuable for coming after a run of one win in six games in all competitions for Arne Slot’s under-pressure team, who moved up to eighth on the Champions League table.
Liverpool’s players thought they had taken the lead with Ibrahima Konate’s header in the 31st minute but, after a long video review, it was ruled out for handball as Virgil van Dijk had earlier nodded the ball onto the arm of Hugo Ekitike.
Having taken away a goal from Liverpool, VAR came to the visitors’ aid when spotting that Alessandro Bastoni had tugged Florian Wirtz’s shirt in the area, with the midfielder flailing to the ground. Szoboszlai converted the penalty.
Inter sit in fifth place, with their next Champions League opponents being Arsenal at the San Siro on January 21 (AEDT).
AAP
