UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTER-FINAL FIRST LEG Internazionale 2 Schalke 5:HOLDERS INTER Milan face almost certain elimination from the Champions League after collapsing to a stunning 5-2 home defeat by a makeshift Schalke team in their quarter-final first leg at the San Siro last night.
Inter looked on course to continue the defence of their title when in the first minute Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer ran out to head the ball clear and Dejan Stankovic calmly volleyed the ball into the net from just inside the halfway line .
The German side struck back through Joel Matip and although Diego Milito briefly restored Inter’s lead, two goals from Edu, one from Raul and an own goal by Andrea Ranocchia put Schalke in complete control of the tie.
Inter’s night got even worse when defender Cristian Chivu was sent off for his second yellow card midway through the second half.
The match had an extraordinary start when Neuer rushed out of his area to head clear Esteban Cambiasso’s long ball forward. His clearance landed at the feet of Stankovic who produced an exquisite volley which flew over the bemused goalkeeper and into the goal.
Schalke levelled in the 17th minute when Kyriakos Papadopoulos’s shot was saved by Julio Cesar but Matip followed up to bury the rebound.
Inter retook the lead in the 34th minute when Wesley Sneijder picked out Cambiasso at the far post and he headed the ball into the path of fellow Argentine Milito, who sidefooted home.
It took only six minutes for Schalke to level again when Alexander Baumjohann sent Edu free down the right and he scored at the second attempt.
Inter made an electric start to the second half with Milito and Samuel Eto’o going close. Schalke made the most of their let-off as Spanish striker Raul scored with a trademark finish in the 53rd minute to extend his record as the competition’s leading scorer.
Four minutes later, disaster struck for the Italians when Jose Manuel Jurado broke down the right and his low cross was turned into his own net by Ranocchia.
INTER MILAN: J Cesar, Maicon, Ranocchia, Chivu, Zanetti, Stankovic (Kharja 24), Motta (Nagatomo 77), Sneijder, Cambiasso, Eto'o, Milito, Kharja (Cordoba 62). Subs Not Used: Castellazzi, Mariga, Materazzi, Pandev. Sent Off:Chivu (62). Booked: Stankovic, Chivu.
SCHALKE 04: Neuer, Uchida, Matip, Howedes, Sarpei, Farfan, Papadopoulos, Jurado (Draxler 83), Baumjohann (Schmitz 76), Raul (Karimi 87), Edu. Subs Not Used: Schober, Escudero, Plestan, Hao. Booked: Farfan, Sarpei, Papadopoulos, Raul.
Referee: M Atkinson(England).
