The San Siro erupted in anticipation as 75,000 passionate Milanese faithful packed the cathedral of football, their voices echoing through the iconic stadium as fourth-placed Inter Milan welcomed Liverpool in a crucial Champions League clash. The Nerazzurri, riding high with four wins from five European matches, faced a Liverpool side languishing in 13th place and desperate for points. When the final whistle pierced the Milan night, the visitors had silenced the home crowd with a dramatic 0-1 victory that left Inter's perfect home record in tatters.
The match exploded into life in the dying moments when VAR intervened to change everything. Alessandro Bastoni's reckless challenge on Florian Wirtz inside the penalty area in the 84th minute sparked a lengthy video review that culminated in a spot-kick award. The San Siro held its breath as Dominik Szoboszlai stepped up in the 88th minute, the Hungarian midfielder displaying ice-cold composure as he rifled his right-footed effort into the top left corner, leaving Yann Sommer helpless and sending the Liverpool bench into raptures.
The tactical battle raged fiercely throughout the evening, with Inter's midfield maestros Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Nicolò Barella orchestrating waves of attacks against Liverpool's disciplined defensive structure. Virgil van Dijk marshaled his backline superbly, while Ibrahima Konaté engaged in a physical duel with Lautaro Martínez that epitomized the contest's intensity. Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister provided the steel in Liverpool's engine room, breaking up Inter's rhythm with crucial interceptions.
Despite sharing possession equally at 50% apiece, Inter generated more clear-cut opportunities with nine shots compared to Liverpool's twelve attempts. Yann Sommer produced a spectacular save in the 80th minute, diving low to deny Conor Bradley's effort from a tight angle, while Liverpool's Hugo Ekitiké tested the Swiss goalkeeper moments earlier. The Nerazzurri's best chance fell to Marcus Thuram in the 65th minute, but his right-footed strike from outside the box whistled agonizingly wide of the target.
The turning point arrived when Liverpool introduced fresh legs through their 68th-minute double substitution, bringing on Conor Bradley and Florian Wirtz for Joe Gomez and Alexander Isak. Wirtz's pace and trickery immediately troubled Inter's defense, and it was the German's driving run that drew Bastoni's desperate foul, ultimately deciding this pulsating encounter in the most dramatic fashion possible.
Inter Milan will look to bounce back when they host Genoa on December 14, needing to rediscover their scoring touch after failing to find the net at home. Liverpool's crucial victory keeps their Champions League hopes alive as they prepare for their next European assignment, with this late show of character potentially proving the catalyst for their campaign revival.