Romelu Lukaku released Inter Milan from the trap set by Sergio Conceiçao's FC Porto by knocking out the Dragons reduced to ten (1-0) at the end of the match, Wednesday at San Siro in the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League. 

"Romelu, Romelu!", The tifosi nerazzurri were able to sing, relieved, when the Belgian, who entered at the start of the second half, released San Siro by scoring in two stages.

He took over a ball first returned by the post on a first header, on a cross from Nicolo Barella (86th). 

Determining Onana

The Nerazzurri will thank "Big Rom" for a long time for having forced the Portuguese lock, which only yielded when the Dragons found themselves at ten after the exclusion of Otavio (78th) for a second warning.

But they will not forget their goalkeeper André Onana, author of several decisive saves, including an incredible double save at the start of the second period from which the Portuguese attackers did not return. 

If the Portuguese, beaten for the first time in four months after 22 matches without a loss (in all competitions), remain in the race, Simone Inzaghi managed a nice shot by putting down a Porto who, since the arrival of Conceiçao on the bench in 2017, has steadily taken over Italian clubs. 

INTER 🇮🇹 1-0 🇵🇹 PORTO



Inter won by the smallest of margins thanks to a goal from Romelu Lukaku!

💙🖤 pic.twitter.com/XxKx1fp6sl

— Footballogue (@Footballogue) February 22, 2023

As expected, the two former team-mates from Lazio Rome played an Italian game, with maximum attention paid to tactics and calculated risk-taking. 

Edin Dzeko, preferred to Lukaku at kick-off, struggled to find space and it was finally from the left that the danger came from the home side, from Federico Dimarco.

The side was involved on the three best internal chances of the first period. 

On his center, Lautaro Martinez did not frame his head (13th).

Then after a combination with Hakan Calhanoglu, from a corner, the Turk tested Diego Costa's trigger with a long shot (18').

And just before the break, Dimarco this time found the head of Alessandro Bastoni but the goalkeeper of the Portugal team was still impeccable (45 + 3rd). 

Inzaghi's winning coaching

But Inter have generally been excessively cautious, fearing the counterattacks of the Dragons who are aggressive and compact around the veteran Pepe but always ready to spring on the counterattack.

After a rough dismissal from Milan Skriniar, Marko Grujic first shot above (27th).

Shortly after, he stumbled on an already decisive André Onana, the goalkeeper not being unhappy then to see Galeno put his head aside (37th).

As soon as the resumption, the Cameroonian goalkeeper had to pull out all the stops;

first on a low shot from Taremi (52nd) then with a high-flying double parry on his line in front of Zaidu then again Taremi (57th)!

San Siro liked it, Inzaghi much less and this is the moment he chose to launch Lukaku.

The Belgian, also firmly watched, first almost offered the goal to Lautaro Martinez, a little too short (72nd).

But once Inter were eleven against ten, he was able to find the space to finally release San Siro, even being very close to doubling the bet in stride.

A nice way for "Big Rom" to perhaps finally turn the page on a failed World Cup. 

With AFP

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