Dominik Szoboszlai’s 88th-minute penalty gave Liverpool a crucial win against Inter Milan in the Champions League.
Much of the build-up to the clash was dominated by the exclusion of Mohamed Salah from the Reds squad after he claimed the club had “thrown him under the bus” and his relationship with manager Arne Slot had broken down.
And with the Egypt forward left back in Liverpool, Szoboszlai stepped up to take the decisive late spot-kick after Alessandro Bastoni was adjudged, following a video assistant referee (VAR) check, to have tugged at the shirt of Florian Wirtz in the box.
Inter keeper Yann Sommer dived the right way, but the power of the penalty proved too much and Liverpool held on for a welcome three points after a turbulent few days at the club.
After a worrying run of nine defeats in 12 games, Slot’s side are now unbeaten in four.
The Reds have 12 points from their six Champions League ties and victory here propelled them into the top eight of the league phase, where automatic qualification to the last 16 is guaranteed.
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Inter dropped down to fifth, on the same points tally, as they suffered a first home defeat in 19 matches in the competition – since February 2022.
Liverpool thought they had taken a 32nd-minute lead when Ibrahima Konate headed in from a corner.
But referee Felix Zwayer disallowed the goal after a lengthy VAR check as the ball struck the arm of striker Hugo Ekitike before the ball found Konate to nod in from close range.
Curtis Jones, Szoboszlai and Ekitike all forced Sommer to make saves in an opening half where Inter lost Piotr Zielinski and Yann Aurel Bisseck to injuries.
The disallowed goal seemed to spark the hosts and Nicolo Barella came close as his free-kick went narrowly wide, before Lautaro Martinez’s header was kept out by Alisson Becker.
The game looked to be heading towards a goalless draw which would have been a first under Slot’s tenure, but Wirtz – who replaced Alexander Isak in the 68th minute – made the most of Bastoni’s pull.
Szoboszlai’s calm finish for his second goal in successive games ensured that, for the fourth time in four years, Liverpool would be leaving the San Siro with success.
BBC
