Inter Milan 0-2 Liverpool
Simone Inzaghi made no pretence after his team were paired with Liverpool in December’s Champions League draw, the Inter Milan manager stressing ‘they were top of the list of teams I would have preferred to avoid’.
Even the SBOTOP Champions League 2022 betting odds did not back the Italians, unfancied generally ahead of their first Champions League knockout match for a decade.
Perhaps that wasn’t a surprise given Inter embarked on a drastic cost-cutting exercise last summer, after posting losses of more than €245 million in their accounts.
Sure enough, in the end that was exactly how it proved as Liverpool notched two late goals to take control of a tie I had billed as an acid test for Inzaghi.
For so long though, they threatened a mini surprise.
Highlights of the game
Indeed, after a tame opening period, Inter were on top for long periods of the second half and even came close to taking the lead when Hakan Çalhanoglu hit the crossbar.
Yet when substitute Roberto Firmino headed home an Andrew Robertson corner 15 minutes from time, the Merseysiders had the bit between their teeth and Mo Salah soon added a second with a deflected effort to seal more Champions League 2022 highlights for the visitors.
Yes, it was a little harsh on Inter but, whereas Liverpool scored with their only two efforts on target, Inter failed to muster a solitary effort on target as Lautaro Martínez extended his dry run to one goal in his past 10 appearances.
It means the Nerazzurri, who took only one point from their first two Group D games, have still won only six of their last 23 Champions League matches.
Liverpool, at the San Siro for the second successive European game, have won every top-flight game since a New Year draw at Chelsea and ultimately had too much know-how.
Inter, who also had an Edin Dzeko goal ruled out for offside, certainly played their part in an enthralling contest, but the Serie A champions will need to produce something special to turn the tie around.
By contrast, with a full-strength squad, Liverpool look ominous and have one foot in the quarter-finals.
Key statistics
When he came off the bench late on, James Milner was making his 800th appearance of his senior club career (275 Liverpool, 203 Manchester City, 136 Newcastle United, 126 Aston Villa, 54 Leeds United, six Swindon Town). Milner has averaged 40 games per season across his 20-season professional career.
Salah is only the second player to score against both AC Milan and Inter Milan in the same Champions League season following Peter Crouch (Tottenham 2010-11).
Salah has scored 33 goals in his 50 games for Liverpool in the Champions League – only Cristiano Ronaldo (51 goals with Real Madrid) and Robert Lewandowski (36 goals with Bayern Munich) have netted more after their first 50 games in the competition with a specific club.
Salah has now scored 12 goals in his last 12 Champions League outings.
Aged 18 years and 318 days, Harvey Elliott became the youngest player ever to start a European Cup match for Liverpool (excluding qualifiers).
What’s next?
Inter return to action on Sunday teatime (Feb 20) at home to Sassuolo before a trip to Genoa in Serie A a week on Friday.
Liverpool, meanwhile, face two home games in the Premier League against strugglers Norwich City and Leeds over the next seven days.
The second leg of this tie takes place on March 8.
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