Inter's five goals take them to the Europa League final as they cruse past Shakhtar in the semis: Europa League semi-final Match Report

 

Europa League Semi-Final Match Report: Inter vs Shakhtar Donetsk

Inter capitalise on Shakhtar's defensive errors to put them through to the Europa League final for the first time in 12 years!

Despite Inter only having 37% possession, it didn’t stop them from smashing five goals past Shakhtar Donetsk to put them through to the final of the Europa League. A lack of concentration, and Inter's press, seemed to be what caught the Ukraine side out multiple times, leaving only themselves to blame for their embarrassing exit. The 18th minute, and Inter's first real chance on goal ends up in the back of the net after a poor pass from the Shakhtar keeper, Pyatov, was intercepted by midfielder, Barella, which he dribbles to just outside the right hand side of the penalty area. He fires a fizzed cross into the box which Lautaro Martinez meets with his head and places it past the keeper making it 1-0.

Inter keep up the pressure as they fire another dangerous cross into the Shakhtar box, but this time from the left hand side, which Lukaku tries to guide home but puts wide. It was clear that Shakhtar were struggling with the strength and power of Martinez and Lukaku, as they were bettering them, consistently, in the air when a cross came into the box. Minutes later a delicious pass played in behind from deep by Shakhtar defender, Khocholava, sees full back, Dodo, in acres of space in Inter's box looking for a pass, which he plays to Junior Moraes, but as he pulls the trigger a last ditch block by centre half, De Vrij, saves Inter from conceding. Shakhtar finish the half building in confidence as some patience build up play breaks down Inter's back line, but the shot is blazed over the bar by Marcus Antonio from just outside the box.

Into the second half, and a wonderful early opportunity for Moraes to get Shakhtar back into the match is squandered, as he heads the ball straight down the throat of the goal and into the keeper’s gloves from close quarters; an awful miss for a man of his quality. The miss proves costly as 2 minutes later, in the 63^rd minute, D’Ambrosio glances home Inter's second from a corner kick, as yet again he rises higher than all of the Shaktar defenders. In need of a goal, the Shakhtar defence starts opens up as they throw men forward looking for a way back into the fixture, but they are punished, yet again by Martinez, after a pass intercepted by Barella finds its way to Martinez which he side foots home, providing inters 3^rd, and his 21^st, into the near post from just outside the box.

Game set match it seemed, but just to make sure, Lukaku decided to step up to the plate and find himself two goals in the dying moments of the fixture. Yet another miss placed pass by a Shakhtar defender is capitalised on by Inter as Martinez plays Lukaku into the right hand side of the penalty box, for him to expertly finesse his shot round the keeper to net Inter’s fourth. Their fifth and final came in the 82^nd minute, as Lukaku picks up the ball, drops his shoulder, and powers beyond the Shakhtar defenders, beating them for pace, and fires his shot between the keepers legs and into the back of the net. Inter will face Spanish side, Sevilla, in the fight for the Europa League title.