Inter off the bottom with Dortmund win; Barca top
MILAN: Lautaro Martinez and Antonio Candreva scored in either half to boost Inter Milan’s Champions League last 16 hopes with a 2-0 win over Group F rivals Borussia Dortmund. Argentina forward Martinez continued his fine form scoring after 22 minutes in the San Siro, but missed a chance for a second from the penalty spot eight minutes from time.
Candreva sealed the three points a minute from time to move Antonio Conte’s side off the bottom of Group F having fallen 2-1 to Barcelona and being held 1-1 by Slavia Prague. Inter join Dortmund on four points with Barcelona top with seven points from three games.
“We knew we had our backs to the wall after picking up just one point before tonight,” said Conte. “This victory extends our expectation of qualification in a very, very difficult group. I’m happy especially for my players. They went to great lengths to earn a place in the Champions League last season and to experience these kinds of matches, with the full stadium and the tifosi. It’s now about making sure we get the result we need in Dortmund. Barcelona and Dortmund are favourites in this group, but it’s up to us now.”
MESSI ON FIRE
PRAGUE: Lionel Messi scored early and set up the winning goal as Barcelona beat Slavia Prague 2-1 for their second straight win in Group F. Messi floated a free-kick in the 57th to Luis Suárez at the far post and the Uruguayan’s shot was deflected in by Slavia forward Peter Olayinka for Barcelona’s winner. Earlier, Messi finished off a fast move he had started in the third minute. As Barcelona pressed from the start, Messi capitalised on a sloppy pass by Petr Sevcik to send the ball to midfielder Arthur. Messi ran forward to meet the feed and net the opener with a left-footed low shot from about 10m.
It was the first goal for the
Argentine in this Champions League, taking his overall tally in Europe’s top club competition to 113. Slavia was gradually shaking off the shock from the early goal. Jaroslav Zeleny forced Marc-andre ter Stegen to produce a save with his leg, and Barcelona’s goalkeeper made another save to deny Olayinka.
Jan Boril’s equaliser from inside the area five minutes into the second looked well deserved for Slavia and the hosts attacked toward the end to try and salvage a point. “By the end, they took so many risks, it was like defending against an avalanche of attacks,” Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde said. “Games like this we have to learn how to manage better. We had better, clearer chances but we lacked the coldblooded calmness.”
Valverde again used his formidable striking trio of Messi teaming up with Antoine Griezmann and Suárez. But unlike a 3-0 rout of Eibar when all the big three scored, Messi was by far the most dangerous one.