UCL: Schalke Baffle Inter In Seven-Goal Epic
Schalke knock Inter on Meazza (Foto: eurosport.com)
Inter did look like defending champions, but just for half an hour. After they led the Germans twice in the first half, the second one found Leonardo’s side looking unrecognizable. Schalke 04 scored three goals only in the last part to overcome the Nerrazuri 5-2 on Giuseppe Meazza.
Schalke 04 are one step from an historical progress into the Champions League semi finals and they do have plenty of chances to do it, the more Inter are condemned to score at least four goals next week on Veltins Arena. Raul is also one step from making history, the Spaniard having scored 70 goals so far in his career in Champions League. The 33-year-old Spanish striker was just given the chance to score even more goals the next period, taking into account that Schalke are very close from another double in the competition.
Inter finished last night’s game with a 53 percentage of possession, six shots on target, four corners and two cards, one of which red. On the other side, the Germans were cautioned four times, committed 19 fouls, earned four corners and struck 11 shots on target and five off it. Stankovic’s early goal reminded of Pato’s early one against Nerrazuri on Sunday.
Inter opened the score in the first minute following an astonishing mid-pitch shot from the Serb who thundered a 50-meter strike past keeper Neuer who had just made a poor and long save. Schalke’s reply came just three minutes later through Raul whose header went just wide in what should have been an early equalizer. Stankovic then got his first yellow for a trip on Baumjohann.
Germans’ leveler came in the 17th minute. Papadopoulos’s header was poorly cleared by Cesar, the rebounded ball arriving to Matip who struck it past Inter’s keeper from five yards or so. Seven minutes later, Stankovic left the pitch due to injury, Leonardo replacing the striker with Kharja. The home side made it 2-1 in the 34th minute. A cross from the left met Cambiasso’s header. The Argentine crossed it back for Milito who managed to beat the offside trap and put it beyond Neuer from close range.
With five minutes left, Schalke leveled back through Edu. Another poor defending and keeping allowed the Brazilian strike it past Cesar to the dismay of Leonardo and tens of thousands of fans. The break came as the scoreboard showed 2-2 after the first 45 minutes.
As for the second half it brought three more goals for the Germans as well as four more yellow cards. Inter was the first to put pressure on the visitors early in the 47th minute. Milito missed his biggest chance of the night after striking just wide though he’s got plenty of space to put it home from ten yards. Eto’o got his first chance in the 48th minute, the Cameroonian targeting the far post but Neuer denied him with a superb and crucial intervention to reward a corner.
Romanian defender conceded his first yellow five minutes later. Farfan escaped the mark but was immediately taken down by the Inter player to get his first caution. Schalke’s reply was a third goal scored by Raul in the 53rd minute. The Spaniard was picked on the edge of the box, only to beat Cesar following a lovely exquisite. Instead of taking the step back, Schalke chased even a fourth one. And it came.
Just two minutes after Raul’s 70th European goal, Ranocchia scored an own goal following a strong cross from the right which the defender deflected into the own net to the dismay of Julio Cesar. Sarpei got his first yellow in the 60th minute following a foul, while Chivu received his second one and a red after stopping Edu through a pretty tough tackle on the right.
Given Inter’s inferiority, Schalke chased their fifth one, even though such scene couldn’t have been considered at a certain moment. So, Jurado was the first to try his luck for a fifth goal, but midfielder missed the target inches in the 65th minute. Ten minutes later, Farfan’s missing proved that a fifth one was just a matter of time.
And Edu materialized it just seconds later. The Brazilian was played on the edge of the box, then – all of a sudden – he struck it past frozen Cesar but after making a short turn around an Inter defender. A couple of minutes later, Germans’ new coach could be seen making three changes, but that was just a time wasting gesture. Schalke won 5-2 as Inter are one step off the competition.
Said Leonardo, whose side were following another humiliating defeat in derby della Madonnina, a 0-3 defeat to local rivals AC: “It’s been a very difficult week, a terrible week,” he said. “We had used up so much energy getting to this point, closing the gap in the league, where we had no option but to win: that mentality is something instilled within the team. With tonight’s result it’s pretty unrealistic to think about what could happen in the return leg.”
The second leg will take place next Wednesday on Veltins-Arena. The same night, Real Madrid thwarted Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 on Santiago Bernabeu thanks to Adebayor’s double.
Inter Milan – Julio Cesar; Zanetti, Chivu, Ranocchia, Maicon; Motta, Cambiasso, Stankovic, Sneijder; Eto’o, Milito. Reserves: Y. Nagatomo, L. Castellazzi, M. Materazzi, G. pandev, H. Kharja, M. Mariga, I. Cordoba.
Schalke 04 – Neuer; Uchida, Howedes, Matip, Sarpei; Farfan, Papadopoulos, Jurado, Baumjohann; Edu, Raul. Reserves: J. Draxler, N. Plestan, J. Hao, S. Escudero, M. Schober, A. Karimi, L. Schmitz.
