Inter take a slender lead to the Estadio Do Dragao in the Champions League Round of 16 after Romelu Lukaku’s late strike off the upright, as both goalkeepers were busy until Otavio left FC Porto down to 10 men.
The Nerazzurri missed only Joaquin Correa, opting to bench Romelu Lukaku and Marcelo Brozovic for the first leg. Porto had already eliminated Juventus and Roma in recent years, leaving Atletico Madrid bottom of their group this season. Gabriel Veron didn’t make the trip, while Mateus Uribe, Otavio and Galeno were all back in the starting XI after muscular problems, with Evanilson returning to the bench.
Inter had a good chance in the opening minutes, Federico Dimarco’s volley charged down in the penalty area, then his cross was nodded over by Lautaro Martinez.
Hakan Calhanoglu’s ferocious cross-shot was punched out from under the bar by Diogo Costa, while Lautaro Martinez was back defending to charge down a Pepe volley.
Andre Onana had to use his legs to parry a dangerous Grujic strike at the near post after Medhi Taremi’s back-heel flick and Galeno nodded the rebound off target.
There was a scare moments later when Alessandro Bastoni was caught in possession and the offside flag went up, but the incident sparked an ugly row between Onana and Dzeko.
The tension escalated moments later when the ball was put out for a VAR check on a challenge on Darmian in the Porto box, but when play was waved on to resume, the visitors didn’t give possession back and instead went on the attack, prompting a furious response.
Inter had an astonishing chance on the stroke of half-time, Dimarco’s free kick whipped in for the glancing Bastoni header and somehow Diogo Costa managed to push it over the bar with his forearm.
Uribe fired over the bar and Nicolò Barella went very close when he let a long ball fall over his shoulder and the low volley flashed across the face of goal, just wide of the far post.
Pepê sparked a very dangerous counter-attack, laying it off for Taremi, denied by a one-handed Onana save. Onana had to make a sensational double block on Zaidu and Taremi from close range after another rapid counter, with Barella clearing before there could be a third attempt.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan should’ve done far better with a misplaced pass, as Lautaro Martinez was ready to go clear, and Barella blasted over on the half-volley.
Lukaku rolled across the face of goal as Lautaro Martinez came sliding in just a fraction too late for the tap-in to an open goal.
Taremi curled off target on another counter, but Otavio received his second yellow card for clipping Calhanoglu’s ankle as the Inter man was cutting inside from the left trying to find a spot to shoot. It means Otavio will be suspended for the second leg on March 14.
The Nerazzurri began to pour forward, Lautaro Martinez’s volley charged down and Barella blasting wide, but the breakthrough came when Barella whipped in a cross from the right, Lukaku’s header bounced off the upright, but the Belgian reacted quickest to turn in the rebound from six yards.
Lukaku threatened another from a corner moments later, Diogo Costa making the save at the back post.
Inter 1-0 Porto
Lukaku 86 (I)
Sent off: Otavio 78 (P)
Player statistic
| Federico Dimarco |  |
41' | ||
| 41' | |
Otávio |
| 63' | |
Pepê | ||
| 78' |  |
Otávio | ||
| Romelu Lukaku |  |
86' |
Match statistic
