Inter Edges Bayern in UCL Thriller to Book Semi-Final Spot

Inter Milan punched their ticket to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals after a gripping 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich at the San Siro, securing a 4-3 aggregate victory that had the home crowd on their feet from start to finish.

With a one-goal lead from the first leg in Munich, Inter came into the night with history on their side—they’d never been knocked out of a European tie after winning the first leg away. That, paired with Bayern’s long injury list, made the task all the more difficult for Vincent Kompany’s team. Still, the German side came out swinging, with Thomas Müller pulling strings early and linking up well with Michael Olise, who had a couple of dangerous efforts snuffed out—one in particular blocked by a heroic, last-second slide from Alessandro Bastoni.

But Inter weren’t just sitting back. Federico Dimarco and Hakan Çalhanoğlu both tested Bayern’s defense, with the latter unleashing a long-range effort that just missed the mark.

As halftime approached, Bayern turned up the pressure. Leroy Sané and Joshua Kimmich both forced saves from Yann Sommer, who continued his impressive UCL form. Inter had managed to concede only one first-half goal in the competition all season, and they managed to keep that streak alive—at least until the second half kicked off.

That’s when Harry Kane finally got into the game. After a relatively quiet first half, he came alive, latching onto a clever pass from Leon Goretzka before whipping a shot past Dimarco and into the far corner.

But just like in the first leg, Inter didn’t waste any time hitting back. Following a corner, the ball spilled loose in the box and Lautaro Martínez reacted quickest, smashing it into the bottom left corner. That strike made him the first Inter player ever to score in five straight Champions League matches—a milestone celebrated wildly by the fans.

Momentum kept building for Inter, and it was former Bayern defender Benjamin Pavard who rose highest to head home the second—leaping above Kim Min-jae and planting the ball firmly past Urbig to make it 2-1 on the night.

Eric Dier wasn’t ready to go quietly though. Moments after clearing one off the line, he got on the end of a Serge Gnabry cross and somehow looped a header into the far corner from a tough angle, bringing Bayern level in the match and back within a goal on aggregate.

The German giants threw everything forward in stoppage time, but Inter stood tall, riding out the storm to extend their unbeaten home run in the Champions League to 15 games—the longest active streak in the tournament.

Next up for the 2010 champions is a semi-final clash with Barcelona, as they chase their second UCL final in three years. As for Bayern, it’s another European exit for Harry Kane, although a domestic league title still looks likely.