Atletico edge Inter Milan with late goal

A controversial late Maria Gimenez goal secured an important three points for Atletico Madrid in the Champions League Day 5 encounter against Inter Milan.

The La Liga side edged the contest with 93rd-minute efforts from Gimenez, having gone ahead through Julian Alvarez before Piotr Zielinski’s restored parity for the visitors.

The Serie A giant thought they had secured an important point at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium, only to be denied by a late Gimenez goal.

This is the first defeat suffered by the Nerazzurri in their competition this season, albeit in very controversial circumstances, having gone into the clash with a perfect record in the Champions League.

They have now suffered a back-to-back defeat after losing the Derby della Madonnina to AC Milan at the weekend. 

The first chance came Inter’s way as Federico Dimarco forced an early save from Juan Musso at the near top corner, followed by a Lautaro Martinez effort.

Atleti then went ahead with the ball in the 9th minute through Alvarez. The goal was initially disallowed, but Alex Baena, having controlled with his arm at the back post, made VAR to overturn the referee’s decision.

The VAR decision was presumably because Carlos Augusto had touched it again after the handball, starting a new move.

After Hancko drilled his shot wide,  Hakan Calhanoglu stung Musso’s gloves from distance. 

The referee rejected Giuliano Simeone’s penalty appeals for the outlandish dive under pressure from Alessandro Bastoni.

Nicolò Barella almost scored the goal of the season within 60 seconds of the restart after controlling a long Bastoni ball over the top after springing the offside trap, then his half-volley looped over Musso to bounce off the crossbar from a tricky angle.

Dimarco again called the goalie to action when running onto the Lautaro Martinez slide-rule pass.

Inter were finally rewarded as Zielinski completed a give and go with Bonny down the left, sweeping into the far bottom corner off the inside of the right boot. 

Giuliano Simeone had the chance to restore the Atletico Madrid advantage, but he ballooned his shot over at the back post from a Matteo Ruggeri cross.

Manuel Akanji, with some brave defending, charged down an Alex Baena scorcher with his face, while Alexander Sorloth volleyed over the bar.

Yann Sommer also kept Inter in the game by putting his body in the way of an Antoine Griezmann finish from close range after the pull-back from the by-line.

Sommer was lucky not to be punished after failing to palm a Marc Pubill strike away very well, as Griezmann failed to make the most of the loose ball.

In the third minute of the added time, Atletico struck from a Griezmann corner, where Jose Maria Gimenez was allowed a powerful header from six yards.