Leverkusen edge Inter Milan with late Nordi Mukiele winner

Updated: Dec 10, 2024, 06:15 pm

Bayer Leverkusen's Nordi Mukiele scored a 90th-minute goal to give his team a 1-0 home win over Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday and move them closer to qualification.

The Germans, who enjoyed more than 60% of possession, were the better side for most of the game, hitting the post through Nathan Tella early in the match before going close again with shots from Florian Wirtz and Jonathan Tah.

But they had to wait until the final minute for Mukiele to slot in after a goalmouth scramble, which was the first goal Inter had conceded in the competition after five clean sheets.

The Italians' first Champions League defeat this season saw them drop to fourth place on 13 points, behind Leverkusen who are second, also on 13,with two matches remaining.

The top eight teams qualify automatically for the round of 16 while the next 16 sides go into a playoff to determine the other eight teams that go through.

"I am delighted with the performance against a top, top team," said Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso. "We showed good maturity. We did not expect to have 20 chances but a few good ones and to use one of them.

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"My players had awareness and knew when to press high. The lines were really close. We had good stability and structure. We did not have many silly balls that we lost to give them the chance to run."

Inter did not have one effort on target in the game.

Alonso's side had the upper hand from the start and went close after three minutes when Tella's thunderous volley bounced off the crossbar.

In-form Wirtz then saw his stinging shot saved by Yann Sommer in the 35th minute with the Italians more than happy to sit back and soak up the pressure.

With most of the possession, Leverkusen kept at it and Jeremie Frimpong narrowly missed the target after being sent through by Wirtz.

Simone Inzaghi's substitutions after the hour looked to inject life into Inter but they could not threaten up front, with the match heading towards a draw until 27-year-old Mukiele pounced on a loose ball in the box to drill in the winner.

"We weren't good enough in attack," said Inzaghi. "We didn't show enough to beat a team with their qualities today.

"Our goal remains direct qualification via a place in the top eight and that is still very possible. Leverkusen played well today, with a lot of pace. The fact that the goal was scored so close to the end is, of course, bitter," he added.