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Marko Arnautovic gave Inter Milan a single-goal benefit of their Champions League last-16 tie with Atletico Madrid after netting the one purpose in Tuesday’s hard-fought 1-0 win.
Austria striker Arnautovic changed Marcus Thuram at half-time and rammed house Inter’s winner with 11 minutes left on the San Siro after Jan Oblak failed to carry Lautaro Martinez’s shot.
The 34-year-old turned jeers into deafening cheers along with his purpose, which got here after a sequence of missed alternatives left house followers questioning whether or not Inter would get the win their efficiency deserved.
His worst miss got here simply after the hour mark when he ballooned over a sitter, a dreadful end which got here earlier than and after failed makes an attempt to latch on to promising balls.
“It’s definitely some of the vital targets of my profession,” mentioned Arnautovic to Sky Sport.
“In latest weeks I’ve missed loads of possibilities. However the followers and the gamers confirmed they’re behind me… It gave me the vitality I wanted to attain the purpose.”
Arnautovic has had a tough time since returning to Inter on mortgage from Bologna final summer season and people misses additional pissed off supporters.
Nonetheless, because of him Simone Inzaghi’s facet, who’re 9 factors clear on the prime of Serie A, take a slender result in Madrid the place they may face Atletico within the decisive second leg on March 13.
Atletico have been a extra attacking proposition this season however retreated into the dogged defensive mode extra consultant of Diego Simeone’s lengthy reign in Spain.
They may not hold Inter out and now should overturn Tuesday’s outcome in an effort to attain the quarter-finals.
“We now have to maintain our heads up, there may be one sport left and we’re going to do every thing doable to to get by,” mentioned Oblak to Movistar.
“They’d two or three possibilities once we weren’t excellent and in a sport like this you must be excellent on a regular basis.”
Arnautovic redeemed
A cagey first half between two resolute groups left followers with little to shout about, with only some pot pictures getting supporters off their seats till the thirty sixth minute, when Martinez noticed his highly effective header from Nicolo Barella’s cross saved by Oblak.
And moments later Martinez left Inter followers with their heads of their fingers after uncharacteristically losing a golden alternative to open the scoring.
Martinez was handed a transparent probability after Marcus Thuram intercepted Rodrigo De Paul’s wayward cross and burst in the direction of Oblak’s purpose, just for the Argentina ahead to scuff his effort off Jose Maria Gimenez.
Thuram then had a strong effort of his personal simply saved by Oblak as Inter completed the opening half within the ascendency.
Nonetheless the France ahead harm his proper thigh whereas taking that shot and he was changed at half-time by match-winner Arnautovic, who three minutes after the break couldn’t fairly direct Federico Dimarco’s teasing cross on track.
Samuel Lino, who curled a good effort huge within the first half, wasted Atletico’s greatest probability of the night time within the 56th minute when he fluffed his end from a good angle after exchanging passes with Rodrigo De Paul.
And Arnautovic, who has had a tough time since his return, did himself no favours when he shot over the bar when it regarded simpler to attain.
However he was submerged by delighted teammates when he pressured house the winner, which was simply reward for a show which highlighted why Simeone mentioned on Monday that Inter have been one of many 5 greatest groups in Europe.
Nonetheless the tight nature of the tie was evident when substitute Alvaro Morata headed huge when offered with an important probability to take Atletico again to Madrid stage.
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