ReutersDepay celebrates his goal against Internazionale
NOS Voetbal•gisteren, 23:54
Atlético Madrid has reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the seventh time under coach Diego Simeone. An entertaining and open match in Madrid against Internazionale seemed to end in 1-1, but just before the end substitute Memphis Depay made it 2-1 and thus extra time.
There was no scoring. In the penalty shootout, Atlético came out on top after another goal by Depay and a miss by Davy Klaassen: 3-1.
Inter thus joins Manchester City, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund. The Germans defeated PSV 2-0 on Wednesday evening.
Full on attack
Three weeks ago, Inter won the first game 1-0 thanks to a late goal by former Premier League player Marko Arnautovic, the Austrian who will face the Dutch in the group stage of the European Championship in Germany next summer.
Anyone who thought that Inter would defend that lead in Madrid with all its might was disappointed. In fact, because Atlético also played full on attack, a very entertaining first half developed.
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Denzel Dumfries was close to making it 1-0 for Internazionale in the first half…
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…while Stefan de Vrij kept it close at the back for Inter.
Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer made a beautiful save from efforts by Antoine Griezmann and Alváro Morata (header). On the other hand, goalkeeper Jan Oblak also had to show the best of himself, including two shots in a short time from Denzel Dumfries.
Two hits in two minutes
While Atlético had most of the ball and looked for an opening in the Stefan de Vrij-led Inter defense, the Italians’ outbreaks looked more dangerous.
This became apparent after more than half an hour, when Inter quickly cut through the Spanish defense over many drives until Federico Dimarco was free in front of the goal. The bleached left wingback did not hesitate and shot the ball behind Oblak.
Inter had only allowed 19 goals in 38 games this season, but Atlético didn’t care about that. Less than two minutes later, Griezmann scored the equalizer from close range.
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Federico Dimarco opened the scoring for Internazionale against Atlético Madrid…
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…but barely two minutes later, Antoine Griezmann levels the score again.
The first big chance after the break was also for Griezmann after a great move by Marcos Llorente, but again Sommer was stylishly in the way.
Atlético became increasingly desperate for the equalizer, leaving large spaces in the defense for Inter.
Marcus Thuram should have taken advantage, but freely chose Oblak for a flare next to the intersection and later Barella aimed in a similar position into the hands of the Slovenian goalkeeper.
Depay forces an extension
With Depay in the team for the last ten minutes, Atlético started again. The Dutch striker also immediately had a chance, but Matteo Darmian (substituted for Dumfries) blocked him.
Still, the 2-1 was in the air and it came. After Depay had first shot against the post, he neatly aimed the ball into the corner four minutes before the end with De Vrij at his back.
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Reuters
Memphis Depay trumps Stefan de Vrij and sends Atlético Madrid into extra time against Inter.
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Reuters
Memphis Depay celebrates the liberating 2-1 with the fans.
The first goal by the Dutchman – whose name ‘Memphis, Memphis’ blared from the stands – in the Champions League was good for extra time.
Deep into injury time, another substitute Rodrigo Riquelme could have decided the game for Atlético, but he aimed over the open goal.
Extension
The game also went back and forth in extra time. After Thuram had squandered a nice heading opportunity, Depay was again introduced to Sommer’s reflexes.
Inter captain Lautaro Martinez headed a corner just past the post. Defender Stefan Savic then went to the ground, groaning, after – as it turned out – a punch in the private parts by Thuram.
Hakan Çalhanoglu also flirted with a red card. He pulled the emergency brake against Depay and got away with a yellow card. And that also applied to Yann Bisseck at the end of the second extra time, who hit Depay hard on the ankles.
ReutersHakan Çalhanoglu pulls the emergency brake against Memphis Depay in extra time.
There were no more goals scored and so the decision had to be made on penalties. Depay rammed the first Spanish penalty kick mercilessly through the middle for the 1-1. Alexis Sánchez (Inter) and Saúl (Atlético) then failed, after which it was Klaassen’s turn.
The Dutchman, who came on ten minutes before the end, didn’t shoot too badly, but the tall Oblak dived the ball out of the corner.
When Inter captain Martinez – who was the executioner of the Dutch team in the penalty shootout on behalf of Argentina at the World Cup – then shot sky-high, celebrations broke out in Madrid.
2024-03-13 22:54:37
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