Alerted by the VAR, Michael Oliver detected a handball by Joao Mario inside the box, and a penalty was awarded. The decision by Michael Oliver caused a stir among the Benfica players, who disputed the call, claiming that the handball was not intentional, and that the ball had hit Joao Mário’s arm, inadvertently. However, the referee had made his judgment, and the penalty was awarded. Benfica, who had already been trailing 1-0 due to a header by Nicolo Barella, had to now deal with a larger deficit, making their task to come back into the game even more difficult. The home team, who had started the game nervously, were finding it hard to break down the Inter defense. The Italian team had been tactically astute and disciplined since the start of the game, relying on counters and exploiting weaknesses in the Benfica defense. Barella’s header in the 56th minute was a culmination of their well-organized approach to the game, as he rose highest to meet a cross from the left side, putting his team in the driver’s seat. Benfica had their own opportunities to score, but things were not going their way. The Portuguese side’s best chance came in the first half when Rafa’s shot was saved by Inter goalkeeper, Samir Handanović. After that, the Benfica attack struggled to create meaningful opportunities, with midfielders Florentino and Weigl failing to control the tempo of the game. Inter’s midfielders, on the other hand, were in control for most of the game, with Barella and Sensi bossing the midfield area, and distributing the ball with accuracy. The Italian team’s defense was also solid, with the experienced pairing of Škriniar and De Vrij blocking most of the shots that came their way. Benfica’s main avenue of attack was through the wings, but they could not find a way past the Inter defensive wall. Roger Schmidt, Benfica’s coach, attempted to shake things up by making substitutions, bringing on Julian Weigl and Darwin Nunez, but the changes did not bring the desired effect. Inter continued to hold firm, as they looked to extend their lead on the counter-attack. The second goal from Lukaku effectively sealed the win for Inter, who had come into the game under pressure following a run of poor results. The Belgian striker was clinical with his finish, sending Vlachodimos the wrong way, and bringing the Inter fans to their feet. Benfica, who had gone into the game with high hopes, were left with nothing but regrets. They had failed to capitalize on their home advantage and would now have to go to the San Siro, knowing that overturning a two-goal deficit against a resilient Inter team would be a huge challenge.
