Two goals by Edin Džeko in a span of six minutes left Inter with one foot in the second round of the Champions League on Wednesday for the first time in ten years, with a 2-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk.
“Ten years passed. The club deserves it, ”said Inter coach Simone Inzaghi. “It’s the first thing I said when I came to the club. My goal and that of the players ”.
The Bosnian’s goals at 61 and 67 minutes unlocked a match that Inter had dominated but failed to score, in part due to the good performance of goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin.
They also annulled two goals for Inter.
The Italians will have qualified for the round of 16 if Sheriff does not beat Real Madrid later.
On the last date, the “neriazzurri” will face the Spanish in Madrid.
With his defeat, Shakhtar was condemned to last place.
Inter started better and generated several dangerous plays, but failed in the definition. In the clearest, Nicolo Barella shot outside from ten meters.
Ivan Perišic had a goal disallowed for an advanced position and Argentina’s Lautaro Martínez another for a push.
Shortly after the hour of play, however, Perišic overflowed on the left and took a cross that was deflected and reached Matteo Darmian. His shot was rejected, but the ball was served so that Džeko shot the goalkeeper from the entrance of the area.
Six minutes later Džeko increased his head as he connected another cross from the left to the far post.
Shortly after the end, Dodo almost discounted, when a shot of his hit the post and crossed the arc glued to the line. The Shakhtar, however, never gave the impression that they could overcome the disadvantage.
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