Schalke 04 have produced another surprise after beating defending champions Inter for the second time. The Germans edged Leonardo’s side 2-1 at the Ventins thanks to Raul and Howedes’s goals, to ease through the best four round with a 7-3 aggregate overall result. Shalke, who have reached the best performance in the club history, will next play Manchester United. Italians’ only goal was scored by Motta early in the second half, but even so it was the home side to clinch a well-deserved victory.
Foto Source: 1000goals.com
Inter, who started the second round with a 2-5 deficit, were condemned to score at least three goals in Germany. Unfortunately for the Brazilian coach, his side could barely score one, although the Nerazzuri dominated the game at times. Schalke chased their first goal from the very beginning as Raul was the first to put Julio Cesar into trouble in the 16th minute. Jurado played the Spanish veteran inside the box but Raul’s header was saved by the Brazilian keeper. Lucio picked a yellow card in the 30th minute following a harmless foul and some talks with the referee.
Inter’s first opportunity came in the 36th minute through Stankovic whose effect was blocked by Neuer. Two minutes later the same striker found Maicon inside the box, but he couldn’t hit it but wide. Raul was the second to get booked for a trip on Sneijder. With one minute later, Spaniard stunned the visitors through a superb goal. Jurado released the 33-year-old who beat Cesar before putting it home into the empty net. Raul established a new record of 71 goals in the UEFA Champions League, which is an unique performance. Thus, the Italians were condemned to score four goals.
Motta leveled the score just four minutes into the second half following a corner from the left which Lucio headed towards the stopper who pushed the ball in from close range between two defenders. Frustration brought the same Motta a yellow card for a trip on Jurado whom he took down in the 60th minute. Howedes scored his first goal just one minute later, but the goal was disallowed by the referee for an offside position. Papadopoulos, too, got booked for fights with Maicon in the 66th minute.
Coach Ralf Ragnick made a couple of changes in the 75th minute, introducing Draxler and Edu for Baumjohann and Charisteas respectively. Schalke made it 2-0 in the 81st minute through Howedes who scored a lovely goal after being released by Raul inside the box. The left defender, had continued a long distance run, thundered it past Cesar into the near post from ten yards. A rash decision brought Schmitz a yellow card with two minutes to go.
Schalke stunned the defending champions 7-3 on aggregate to make an easy progress into the last four. Rangnick’s side finished with six attempts on goal, seven corners, 26 fouls and three yellow cards, while Inter, who dominated the Germans, had 15 attempts on goal, 12 corners, 60 percent of possession, including 13 fouls and three yellow cards. Schalke meet Manchester United on April 26 at the Veltins, the second round being scheduled on May 4.
Schalke 04 – Neuer; Sarpei, Howedes, Metzelder, Uchida; Jurado, Papadopoulos, Matip, Baumjohann; Raul, Edu. Reserves: M. Schober, J. Draxler, J. Hao, N. Plestan, A. Charisteas, L. Schmitz.
Inter Milan – Julio Cesar; Maicon, Ranocchia, Lucio, Nagatomo; Motta, Zanetti, Stankovic, Sneijder; Eto’o, Milito. Reserves: E. Cambiasso, I. Cordoba, Philippe Coutinho, H. Kharja, G. Pandev, L. Castellazzi, M. Materazzi.
