Match ends, Inter Milan 2, Bayer 04 Leverkusen 1.
Romelu Lukaku scored for a record ninth consecutive Europa League game as Inter Milan beat Bayer Leverkusen in Dusseldorf to reach the semi-finals.
Nicolo Barella fired home an excellent 20-yard strike to give Inter the lead.
Lukaku controlled Ashley Young's pass, turned a defender and slotted home for his 31st goal of the season.
Kai Havertz smashed home from six yards out to give Leverkusen hope but they could not find a leveller to force extra time in the one-off tie.
Antonio Conte's side will face the winner of Shakhtar Donetsk v Basel in the semi-final on 17 August, also in Dusseldorf.
Lukaku is the first player to ever score in nine Uefa Cup or Europa League matches in a row, although that run includes five games for Everton in 2014-15.
He twice prepared to take a penalty - in the first half and in injury time at the end - but both times the decisions were overturned by the video assistant referee.
The Italian side could have beaten Leverkusen by more with Lukaku forcing Lukas Hradecky into a good save and former Premier League players Christian Eriksen, Alexis Sanchez and Victor Moses going close after coming off the bench.
"We are growing but we have to learn to kill games off when we have the chances to do it, and we didn't tonight," said Lukaku, who is now Inter's top scorer in a season since Samuel Eto'o in 2010-11.
"Now we have time to recover physically and prepare for another great game. We will have to be ready."
Lukaku's Europa League goalscoring run | |
---|---|
10 August 2020: Inter Milan 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen | 12 March 2015: Everton 2-1 Dynamo Kiev |
5 August 2020: Inter Milan 2-0 Getafe | 26 February 2015: Everton 3-1 Young Boys (two goals) |
27 February 2020: Inter Milan 2-1 Ludogorets | 19 February 2015: Young Boys 1-4 Everton (three goals) |
20 February 2020: Ludogorets 0-2 Inter Milan | 27 November 2014: Wolfsburg 0-2 Everton |
19 March 2015: Dynamo Kiev 5-2 Everton |
Inter are now only two games away from winning their first trophy since the Coppa Italia in 2011.
Eight managers have failed to lead them to silverware in between Leonardo and Conte, who took charge last summer.
They have already enjoyed their best Serie A season in that time, finishing second, one point behind champions Juventus.
Line-ups
Inter Milan
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Handanovic
- 2Godín
- 6de Vrij
- 95BastoniSubstituted forSkriniarat 84'minutes
- 33D'AmbrosioBooked at 31minsSubstituted forMosesat 59'minutes
- 23BarellaBooked at 90mins
- 77Brozovic
- 5GagliardiniSubstituted forEriksenat 59'minutesBooked at 85mins
- 15Young
- 9Lukaku
- 10La MartínezSubstituted forSánchezat 64'minutes
Substitutes
- 7Sánchez
- 11Moses
- 12Sensi
- 13Ranocchia
- 20Valero
- 24Eriksen
- 27Padelli
- 30Esposito
- 32Agoume
- 34Biraghi
- 37Skriniar
- 87Candreva
B Leverkusen
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Hrádecky
- 8BenderBooked at 48minsSubstituted forBellarabiat 85'minutes
- 4Tah
- 12TapsobaBooked at 87mins
- 22SinkgravenBooked at 43minsSubstituted forWendellat 68'minutes
- 15BaumgartlingerSubstituted forAmiriat 68'minutes
- 25PalaciosSubstituted forBaileyat 59'minutes
- 29Havertz
- 10Demirbay
- 19Diaby
- 31VollandSubstituted forAlarioat 85'minutes
Substitutes
- 6Dragovic
- 9Bailey
- 11Amiri
- 13Alario
- 18Wendell
- 23Weiser
- 27Wirtz
- 28Özcan
- 36Lomb
- 38Bellarabi
- Referee:
- Carlos del Cerro Grande
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home37%
- Away63%
- Shots
- Home18
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home7
- Away2
- Corners
- Home3
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home17
- Away16
Live Text
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Full Time
Second Half ends, Inter Milan 2, Bayer 04 Leverkusen 1.
Booking
Nicolò Barella (Inter Milan) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Nadiem Amiri (Bayer 04 Leverkusen) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Nicolò Barella (Inter Milan).
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Edmond Tapsoba (Bayer 04 Leverkusen) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan).
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Attempt saved. Christian Eriksen (Inter Milan) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
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Dangerous play by Karim Bellarabi (Bayer 04 Leverkusen).
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Nicolò Barella (Inter Milan) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Wendell (Bayer 04 Leverkusen) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Christian Eriksen (Inter Milan).
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Corner, Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Conceded by Victor Moses.
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VAR Decision: No Penalty Inter Milan.
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Hand ball by Nicolò Barella (Inter Milan).
Booking
Edmond Tapsoba (Bayer 04 Leverkusen) is shown the yellow card.
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Foul by Edmond Tapsoba (Bayer 04 Leverkusen).
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Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Edmond Tapsoba (Bayer 04 Leverkusen).
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Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.