History made! Inter come back to beat Wolfsburg and qualify for the Champions League

An incredible achievement, a moment that will go down in history. A match of heart and determination, sacrifice and hope – hope that seemed faint but grew stronger throughout 120 long, exhausting minutes. A magnificent Inter came back against Wolfsburg to secure their first-ever qualification for the UEFA Women’s Champions League: after losing 2-0 in Germany, the Nerazzurre produced a dream night and overturned the result, sealing qualification on penalties. Endless emotions in a match played with strength and personality, showing the courage that coach Sassarini had demanded. “The second leg will be a different match,” the Nerazzurri coach had said: his team believed from the first second to the last, even when everything seemed lost. Bartoli and Polli, Elisa for Elisa, scored one goal in each half to take the match into extra time. Arasniewicz, in the 114th minute, scored what appeared to be the goal that would settle the tie. Marja Ana Milinković replied in the 121st minute to say no, it was not over, that Inter wanted qualification at all costs: a goal that changed history and demonstrated the incredible strength of the Nerazzurre. Then came the penalties, with everyone holding their breath: all of the first four were scored before, with the fifth, Rúnarsdóttir guessed the right way and flew to deny Alber. Andrés then showed nerves of steel to seal the achievement and send the Nerazzurri star shining among Europe’s elite. Emotions poured out, faces transformed by happiness at the final whistle. The players embraced, overcome with emotion and fully aware that they had written a page in the Club’s history. A dream night, a night the Inter way.

THE MATCH
The late-afternoon sun still shines brightly over the pitch at the Breda, illuminating the Nerazzurre’s hopes as they begin the match with exactly the right attitude: Sassarini’s side control possession and maintain a high intensity, immediately forcing Wolfsburg to drop deep into their own half. The first moment of danger arrives in the seventh minute down the left flank, which proves to be the key area of the pitch throughout the first half: Le Bihan produces a brilliant piece of play to release Bartoli on the overlap with a backheel, but the full-back’s low cross flashes across the face of goal without finding a finishing touch. Inter move the ball around, patiently searching for the right opening, while the German side sit deep and look to protect their two-goal advantage. It only takes one moment, however, to reopen the tie: Polli does brilliantly to break free from her marker and picks out Bartoli’s run down the left with a perfectly weighted through ball. Elisa controls the ball, enters the penalty area and calmly places a right-footed finish into the far corner: in the 39th minute, Inter take a 1-0 lead.Wolfsburg’s response is as intense as it is short-lived: at the beginning of the second half, Lerch’s side press hard through Zicai, who threatens with an individual move from the left before cutting inside and getting a shot away, only to find Rúnarsdóttir in her path. From that point onwards, Inter regain control of the match, with Sassarini turning to his attacking options in search of the comeback: Tomašević, Magull, Payne and Bugeja enter the pitch as the Nerazzurre push higher and pin Wolfsburg inside their own half. A moment of quality is needed to break down the German wall, and it arrives with six minutes remaining: Magull finds space on the right side of the penalty area, receives the ball and sends a perfect low cross into the middle for Polli, who fires home the deserved goal to make it 2-0. The Nerazzurri number nine explodes with joy as the entire bench rushes to embrace her, setting the Breda alight for a dramatic finale. A goal born out of determination, heart and sacrifice, a goal that sends the Nerazzurre into ecstasy and takes the match into extra time.

With another 30 minutes to play following an immense physical and mental effort, Sassarini’s players look to manage the moment by keeping possession and waiting for the right opportunity, but as the first period of extra time draws to a close, they are rescued twice by two brilliant saves from Rúnarsdóttir, who within the space of a minute denies two huge Wolfsburg chances created by Bussy and Küver. The Nerazzurri number one can do nothing six minutes later, however, when the Germans score the goal that sends a chill around the Breda. With Inter temporarily down to ten players after Bartoli suffers a physical problem, Lerch’s side strike through Arasniewicz, who is left free at the far post by a cross from Huth. A devastating blow for the Nerazzurre, who had played a perfect match and were punished at the worst possible moment.

But Sassarini’s players refuse to give up: there is still time for one final assault, for one final emotion in an extraordinary rollercoaster of a match. The clock reaches the 120th minute and Inter win a corner, with the cross finding Bugeja at the far post: the Nerazzurri forward controls the ball and looks up, spotting Milinković completely free in the middle before providing her with a simple finish. A roar of relief, a moment of pure joy, a goal of immeasurable importance that takes the tie to penalties. The night at the Breda seems as though it will never end: eight flawless penalties, moments when everyone holds their breath and tries to take in every second, every image. Then comes the fifth and decisive penalty: Rúnarsdóttir spreads her arms wide and reads Alber’s choice. She dives to her left and makes the save, giving Andrés the match point. Ivana does not tremble: she finishes calmly and confidently, sending Johannes the wrong way. The celebrations begin and the pitch becomes a sea of Nerazzurri madness: for the first time in their history, Inter Women will play in the Champions League.

INTER WOMEN 3-1 WOLFSBURG 8-5 after penalties | MATCHSHEET

Goals: 39′ Bartoli (I), 84′ Polli (I), 111′ Arasniewicz (W), 120’+1′ Milinković

Penalty sequence: Minge (W) goal, Magull (I) goal, Peddemors (W) goal, Bugeja (I) goal, Linder (W) goal, Schough (I) goal, Arasniewicz (W) goal, Milinković (I) goal, Alber (W) saved, Andrés (I) goal

INTER(4-4-2): 1 Rúnarsdóttir, 4 Van Diemen, 24 Milinković, 5 Andrés, 33 Bartoli; 18 Glionna (22 Schough 75′), 8 Vilhjálmsdóttir (10 Magull 60′), 6 Santi (16 Tomašević 60′), 11 Le Bihan (17 Payne 60′); 9 Polli (20 Detruyer 98′), 26 Raphino (7 Bugeja 53′).
Unused subs: 12 Forcinella, 35 Robbioni, 15 Garcia, 21 Tomaselli, 29 Giudici.
Head Coach: David Sassarini

WOLFSBURG (4-3-3): 1 Johannes; 2 Bjelde (24 Wedemeyer 77′), 3 Carleer (4 Kleinherne 94′), 16 Küver, 39 Linder; 14 Vallotto (15 Arasniewicz 46′), 6 Minge, 5 Peddemors; 10 Huth (18 Alber 119′), 9 Prašnikar (38 Kerim-Lindland 63′), 28 Zicai (19 Bussy 77′).
Unused subs: 21 Tufekovic, 22 Schönwetter, 17 Piljic, 20 Landenberger, 23 Bogaert.
Head Coach: Stephan Lerch

Booked: 45’+3′ Milinković, 90’+1′ Minge, 90’+3′ Kerim-Lindland, 103′ Tomašević, 120′ Wedemeyer

Stoppage time: 5′, 6′, 1′

Referee: Olatz Rivera Olmedo
Assistants: Eliana Fernández González – Rita Cabanero
Fourth Official: Beatriz Cuesta Arribas