D-SSELDORF, Germany (AP) – Romelu Lukaku scored a goal and scored when Inter Milan beat tenacious Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 to triumph in the Europa League semi-finals on Monday.
Lukaku was the driving force from the start, imposing himself on the game and disrupting the Leverkusen defense to keep Inter in the hunt for its first trophy in nine years. Inter last played a European semifinal on its way to the Champions League title in 2010.
“We’re developing, but we have to be informed to kill matches when we get the chance, and we didn’t do it tonight,” Lukaku said. “Now we have time to physically prepare for another big game.”
When Nicolo Barella gave Inter the lead in the 15th minute, he did so in a rebound from a Shot by Lukaku that had been blocked. Six minutes later, Lukaku scored after a link to Ashley Young, even though he fell while shooting while fighting a defender.
While Inter threatened to overwhelm Leverkusen, the German national team clung to the match. Kai Havertz played a double with Kevin Volland and fired the ball in front of goalkeeper Samir Handanovic to close the hole for a single purpose 4 minutes after Lukaku’s purpose.
The video complaint prevented Inter from extending his lead, canceling a handball penalty against Leverkusen’s left-back, Daley Sinkgraven. Leverkusen worked hard to match in the middle of the moment, but that opened up opportunities for Inter goalkeeper and Leverkusen’s Lukas Hradecky called to make repeated stops.
The attack may turn out to be Havertz’s last for Leverkusen. He has been closely associated with a change to Chelsea and Leverkusen had said in the past that he would suspend any transfer during the Europa League campaign.
Inter will face Shakhtar Donetsk or Basel in the semi-finals on 17 August. The Ukrainian and Swiss will play the quarter-finals on Tuesday.
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