Simone Inzahgi’s Inter will be favourites to advance to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League after a late winner from substitute Davide Frattesi gave them a 2-1 victory at the Allianz Arena.
In an entertaining spectacle in Munich, Milan were at their defensive best, soaking up pressure before taking the lead through Lautaro Martínez’s excellent first half strike.
Bayern legend Thomas Müller levelled for the hosts in the 85th minute, only for the lead to last three minutes, as Frattesi stabbed home late on to give the visitors a first leg victory in Munich.
As it happened
A banner high in the stands read “Kings of the Cup” before the tie began at the Allianz Arena, as the atmosphere grew ever more intense.
Numerous chances were created by the hosts, with Michael Olise a livewire throughout. The former Crystal Palace winger was found on the right side of the area and looked to bend his effort into the far corner, only for the shot to take a deflection and send the ball wide of the post.
The first save of the tie came in the 14th minute, as Bayern worked the ball fluidly down the right-channel, before Olise cut onto his left foot and lifted the ball into the area, picking out Harry Kane, whose header fell kindly into the gloves of Yann Sommer.
Bayern knew when to move and increase the tempo as, after a free-flowing move, Raphaël Guerreiro found himself on the end of play, bursting into the area and looking to fire across Sommer into the far post. To his dismay, the Swiss keeper made a sharp save.
Embed from Getty ImagesMore quick incisive play ensued from the Bavarian outfit, as Konrad Laimer teed up Olise to run onto the ball and test Sommer once more. Again, Inter’s shot-stopper was equal to the effort. However, he had no chance with the next effort and had to thank the woodwork.
Former Bayern man Benjamin Pavard nearly cost his side the lead as, after some initial quality defending from Inter to stop Leroy Sané in an advanced position, he carelessly knocked the ball into Olise’s path. He evaded numerous challenges in the area before laying off to Kane, who side-footed his effort off the post. When teams are on top they need to take their chances, and this proved to be a turning point in the first half.
Alessandro Bastoni led a counter-attack for the visitors and spotted Carlos Augusto on the left, before the wingback took the ball in his stride and fired into the side netting. The warning signs were there for Bayern and in the 38th minute, The Nerazzurri took the lead.
Marcus Thuram and Martínez held up the ball excellently in the middle of the park before working it out to the left channel, where Augusto was found bombing down the wing. Thuram made a run towards the area and the Brazilian tried to find him, before a Bayern defender knocked back to the edge of the area, allowing Martínez to follow it in and hit an outrageous trivela finish into the roof of the net to stun the Allianz Arena.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe second period picked up where the first left off, with Inter the side looking more dangerous. Thuram found himself behind the Bayern backline and instinctively tried to find his strike partner at the back post, however the Argentine was not in sync on this occasion.
Moments later, Martínez was on the end of another Inter attack and so nearly gave Inzaghi’s side a second. Bayern’s backup goalkeeper Jonas Urbig kept his side in the tie with a sharp save to keep Inter’s captain at bay.
Vincent Kompany’s men did start to create some chances after the 60th minute, as Laimer delivered a dangerous cross into the box for Leon Goretzka, but he could only head over the bar. Moments later, Guerreiro volleyed just over the bar from the edge of the area.
Italian football is known for its defending and Bastoni personified that with an incredible block to deny a Müller piledriver which surely would have bought Die Roten level. And then, not long after, they were level.
In the 85th minute, Joshua Kimmich whipped a cross to the back post which was too deep, but Laimer kept it alive and deceived Inter’s defensive line, sending the ball back across the area for substitute Müller to tap home past a stranded Sommer. For the home supporters, there was ecstasy. For three minutes.
Bayern lost their concentration in the aftermath of the goal as they looked for a winner. Meanwhile, at the other end, Martínez held up the play and spotted the flying Augusto darting behind the high defensive line. He advanced to the left side of the box and whipped a low cross into the area, which substitute Frattesi stabbed home, giving Inter a first leg victory in Munich.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe sides go face-to-face in the second leg next week at San Siro on Wednesday night, as Inzaghi’s side take back a 2-1 lead back to Milan.
The lineups
BAY: Urbig; Laimer, Dier, Kim, Stanišić; Kimmich, Goretzka; Sané, Guerreiro, Olise; Kane
INT: Sommer; Pavard, Acerbi, Bastoni; Darmian, Barella, Çalhanoğlu, Mkhitaryan, Augusto; Martínez, Thuram