Benfica 0-2 Inter: Player ratings as Nerazzurri seize Champions League initiative
By Sean Walsh
Inter are halfway to their first UEFA Champions League semi-final since 2010 after beating Benfica 2-0 in Lisbon.
Simone Inzaghi's side were not always at their best at the Estadio da Luz on Tuesday but were able to pick and choose their moments to get at their hosts. They will return to San Siro for the second leg of this quarter-final next week with a rather healthy advantage.
The Portuguese side went into this home leg full of confidence but now have it all to do back in Milan.
Benfica had the majority of the ball in the first half but were only really able to carve out one chance of note. Alex Grimaldo's cross was headed down by Federico Dimarco, but only as far as Rafa, who ought to have tested goalkeeper Andre Onana more with his close-range strike.
And the hosts were made to pay for their lack of cutting edge just after the break. Alessandro Bastoni carried the ball forward out of defence and played a superb deep cross right onto the head of Nicolo Barella, and he picked out the bottom corner.
The confidence was flowing through Inter's veins now. Odysseas Vlachodimos was twice called into action, denying Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Denzel Dumfries with the deficit only at one goal.
However, the Greek goalkeeper was soon picking the ball out of his net. After a VAR check, Joao Mario was punished for a handball and Inter were awarded a penalty, with substitute Romelu Lukaku making no mistake from the spot.
With essentially the last kick of the game, Goncalo Ramos nearly pulled one back for Benfica, but his shot at the end of David Neres' through ball was gobbled up by Onana.
Benfica player ratings (4-2-3-1)
GK: Odysseas Vlachodimos (6); RB: Gilberto Junior (6), CB: Antonio Silva (6), CB: Morato (6), LB: Alex Grimaldo (6); CM: Florentino Luis (5), CM: Chiquinho (6); RM: Joao Mario (4), AM: Rafa (5), LM: Fredrik Aursnes (5); CF: Goncalo Ramos (6)
SUBS: David Neres (6)
Inter player ratings (3-5-2)
GK: Andre Onana (7); CB: Matteo Darmian (7), CB: Francesco Acerbi (7), CB: Alessandro Bastoni (9); RM: Denzel Dumfries (7), CM: Nicolo Barella (9), CM: Marcelo Brozovic (7), CM: Henrikh Mkhitaryan (8), LM: Federico Dimarco (7), CF: Lautaro Martinez (6), CF: Edin Dzeko (6)
SUBS: Joaquin Correa (6), Romelu Lukaku (8), Robin Gosens (6), Danilo D'Ambrosio (N/A), Stefan de Vrij (N/A)