Inter Milan seal first-leg win over Ateltico
Inter Milan picked up a narrow 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League round 16 first leg on Tuesday evening.
Matteo Darmian and Federico Dimarco returned from Inter’s 4-0 win over U.S.
Salernitana, with Denzil Dumfries and Carlos Augusto removed, while Atletico restored Antoine Griezmann, Rodrigo De Paul, Mario Hermoso, Aixel Witsel after they were rested in the 5-0 win over Las Palmas.
It was a gutsy opening with limited chances but tight defending all-round from both sets of teams as Atletico chased a decent first-leg result.
However, the host missed a big chance later on through captain Lautaro Martinez’s late run off Marcus Thuram’s cutback after a turnover but brilliant defensive recovery denied the Argentine.
Inter were forced to change tact in the second half and introduced Marko Arnautovic in the place of Thuram, who had picked up an injury that will concern manager Simone Inzaghi.
The Nerazzurri remained in control through a majority of the chances, but weren’t accurate where it mattered and let the LaLiga boys off the hook much of the time.
Arnautovic, who was guilty of some of those misses, came good ten minutes from time when he capitalised on a loose ball from Jan Oblak to finish from close-range and give Inter a massive first-leg win.
PSV Eindhoven 1-1 Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund surrendered a halftime advantage to draw 1-1 with PSV Eindhoven in the last 16 first-leg.
Dutchman Donyell Malen and Mats Hummels came in from the Black and Yellow’s weekend draw against VfL Wolfsburg, while PSV recalled Ismael Sibari and Johan Bakayoko after winning over Hercules.
Malen made the breakthrough around the midway point when he collected Marcel Sabitzer’s clever pass around the area and got around the
