23+ minutes from Canal. Commentary in French.
It all started swimmingly well for Inter within the first minute as Dejan Stankovic’s stunning volley from 50 metres left Manuel Neuer stranded miles from goal! The San Siro was rocking!
But Schalke equalized through Joel Matip following a goalmouth scramble as the Inter defense failed to clear the ball. Inter came back as Sneijder’s chip was met by Cambiasso at the far post and the midfielder expertly headed the ball into the path for Milito to finish superbly. However, Schalke’s party was just beginning as Edu on his second attempt was able to get to the ball before Julio Cesar and banged it home. Schalk went ahead though the evergreen Raul after he collected Jefferson Farfan’s pass and scooting through defenders found the net. It was his 71st CL goal, topped only by Filippo Inzaghi.
Calamity struck Inter as Andrea Rannochia caught on the counter attack tamely turned Jose Manuel Jurado’s cross into his own goal. Inter’s rotten defense would pay one more time as Edu managed to blast the ball from the top of the D past Cesar. But before that Christian Chivu picked up his second yellow for bringing Edu down in the 62nd minute.
Ralf Ragnick’s men scored a sensational win over the defending champions at their home. Their counterattacking was incisive with Jurado and Farfan in particular with their speed down the flanks stretched the defense to breaking point. Inter’s defense, the one that withstood Barca’s attacking fury in their CL winning season was a pale imitation. Maicon looked jaded, Rannochia clueless, Zanetti slow. It looked like they were still hungover from the 3-0 Milan beating over the weekend.
Leonardo has essentially thrown in the towel. He has to get either a 4-0 or a 6-3 win at Gelsenkirchen. Virtually impossible.