In a hard-fought battle at Red Bull Arena, Inter Milan secured a narrow victory against Salzburg with a score of 1-0 in the fourth round of the UEFA Champions League group stage. Inter’s forward, Lautaro Martinez, claimed the spotlight by scoring the lone goal from a penalty kick in the 85th minute.
🌍 Inter’s Triumph and Salzburg’s Exit
With this hard-fought win, Inter elevated their points to 10, securing the second spot in Group 4, tied with the group leader Real Sociedad. Both teams have qualified for the Round of 16, leaving Salzburg frozen at 3 points, bidding farewell to the Champions League before completing the group stage.
First Half Drama
The initial moments saw a calm start from both sides until Luka Susic, Salzburg’s midfielder, delivered a powerful shot from the edge of the penalty area, sailing over the goalkeeper, Samir Handanovic.
In the 36th minute, Inter earned a free-kick from the right side, taken by Calhanoglu with a cross into the box. Bastoni met it with a header that narrowly missed Salzburg’s left post.
The most significant opportunity in the first half came in the 42nd minute when Toram moved with the ball on the left side, passing to Sanchez. Sanchez brilliantly set up Frattesi, but the latter’s shot went wide of the goal.
Second Half Tactical Changes
As the second half kicked off, both coaches made strategic substitutions. Simone took out Jan Bescik to introduce Stefan de Vrij, while Salzburg’s coach, Ólmar, replaced him with Górna Dauh.
Calhanoglu threatened Salzburg’s goal in the 52nd minute with a direct free-kick earned by Frattesi. The Turkish midfielder’s rocket-like shot was skillfully saved by the goalkeeper.
Salzburg responded with Konate, who penetrated from the left and unleashed a spectacular shot, but Handanovic managed to deflect it away from his goal.
The pattern of missed opportunities continued for the guests. In the 82nd minute, Martinez squandered a dangerous chance after a precise cross from Bastoni on the left. The Argentine striker rose for a header, but the goalkeeper managed to push it away.
In the 85th minute, the referee awarded a penalty to Inter after a handball by Mads Bech Stryger. Martinez stepped up to take the penalty, successfully scoring the winning goal.
