Champions League: Sergio Ramos scores 100th Real Madrid goal in win over Inter
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ByEurosport
Updated 03/11/2020 at 22:55 GMT
Champions League Group B, Bernabeu - Real Madrid 3 (Benzema 25', Ramos 33', Rodrygo 80') Inter Milan 2 (Martinez 35', Perisic 68')
Karim Benzema of Real Madrid celebrates after scoring his sides first goal with Sergio Ramos of Real Madrid during the UEFA Champions League Group B stage match between Real Madrid and FC Internazionale at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano
Image credit: Getty Images
Sergio Ramos scored his 100th goal for Real Madrid as his side clinched a dramatic 3-2 victory over Inter Milan in their Champions League clash.
Rodrygo came off the bench to score the winner for Los Blancos in a pulsating encounter, as Zinedine Zidane's men finally claimed their first victory in Group B.
Both sides came into the game looking for their first win of the competition, with Real Madrid propping up the group with just a point from two games and Inter in third following back-to-back draws.
Los Blancos raced into the lead with two goals in eight first half minutes, Karim Benzema pouncing on Achraf Hakimi's dreadful back pass to dink the ball over Samir Handanovic and finish into an empty net, before Sergio Ramos headed in from Toni Kroos' corner delivery for his landmark goal.
In the absence of the injured Romelu Lukaku, Ivan Perisic partnered Lautaro Martinez in the visitors' attack, and it was the latter who halved the deficit just two minutes later, with the Argentine grabbing his first goal in six games, slotting past Thibaut Courtois from Nicolo Barella's sensational flicked assist.
Inter deservedly drew level with 68 minutes on the clock, Perisic firing past Courtois with a lovely left-footed shot and the Nerazzurri had chances to win it, with the Croatian and Martinez firing agonisingly wide on the counter as Real threw caution to the wind in search of the winner.
With the game ebbing and flowing, Real proved more ruthless, with Zidane's substitutes combining to take all three points in the 80th-minute, Vinicius Junior picking out Rodrygo, who lifted an unstoppable shot into the top corner.
Victory moves Real into third, level on points with Shakhtar Donetsk, who were thumped 6-0 by leaders Borussia Monchengladbach. Inter, meanwhile, are now bottom with just two points.
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Lautaro Martinez, Real Madrid-Inter, Getty Images
Image credit: Getty Images
TALKING POINT
The Spanish and Italian media had billed the game as a 'final', such was its importance. Real had been on a four-game winless streak in the Champions League, while Inter had won just one of their last six games in all competitions, as both sides started the day in the bottom two, behind Borussia Monchengladbach and Shakhtar Donetsk.
Pressure was always going to be piled on the losing manager, and with half of the games in the group now played and with Real to face again in three weeks' time, Antonio Conte has a real challenge on his hands to keep Inter in the Champions League.
Although the Inter boss will be pleased with his side's mentality, he will be left to rue the missed opportunities his strikers passed up when the scores were level. October has been a nightmarish month for Inter and losing Lukaku has made their task of progressing to the knockout stages much more difficult.
It is relief for Zidane, who will take the plaudits for his match-winning double substitution in the 64th minute. The game had swung in Inter's favour in the second half, but his decision to bring on Vinicius and Rodrygo at that pivotal juncture - four minutes before the visitors drew level - proved to be a game-changer.
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Real Madrid, Inter
Image credit: Eurosport
MAN OF THE MATCH - Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
Led the home side's line effectively, always playing on his toes, working tirelessly with the high-press and was rewarded with a poacher's goal.
PLAYER RATINGS
Real Madrid: Courtois 6, Vasquez 7, Ramos 7, Varane 7, Mendy 8, Kroos 7, Casemiro 7, Valverde 7, Asensio 6, Hazard 6, Benzema 8.. subs: Modric N/A, Vinicius Jnr 7, Rodrygo 7,
Inter: Handanovic 6, Bastoni 6, De Vrij 6, D'Ambrosio 6, Young 7, Vidal 6, Brozovic 6, Barella 7, Hakimi 5, Perisic 7, Martinez 8.. subs: Gagliardini N/A, Sanchez N/A, Nainggolan N/A.
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KEY MOMENTS
25' - GOAL! Real Madrid 1 (Karim Benzema) Inter Milan 0 - What is Hakimi doing? He plays a back pass from the right channel short and Benzema pounces, dinking it over Handanovic and slotting it into an empty net! A gift! Thank you very much says Benzema!
33' - GOAL! Real Madrid 2 (Sergio Ramos) Inter Milan 0 - And it's two! Ramos doubles Real's advantage! Kroos swings his corner in from the left and picks out Ramos, who makes a late run and heads Real into a comfortable lead!
35' - GOAL! Real Madrid 2 Inter Milan 1 (Lautaro Martinez): Inter are back in it! Martinez scores his first goal in six games to halve Real's advantage! And what an excellent goal! Barella flicks a beautiful pass into the feet of Martinez, who pokes a left-footed shot past Courtois into the bottom corner!
68' - GOAL! Real Madrid 2 Inter Milan 2 (Ivan Perisic): Inter are level! Real have let a two-goal lead slip! The home side's defence switches off as Brozovic lifts a ball over the top and Martinez reaches it, heading it into the path of Perisic. He uses his body to protect the ball and then slots it past Courtois!
80' - GOAL! Real Madrid 3 (Rodrygo) Inter 2 - Rodrygo scores what might just be the winner for Real! Zidane will be pleased with this, as the substitutes combine! Vinicius races down the left and picks out Rodrygo in the middle. His first touch sets him up for the shot and he smashes a beautiful strike into the top corner!
KEY STATS
- Sergio Ramos scored his 100th goal for Real Madrid in all competitions, 55 of which have come with his head.
- Lautaro Martinez (born in 1997) is the only player born after January 1 1996 to have scored against both Real Madrid and Barcelona in the Champions League.
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