Liverpool earned an important Champions League triumph in Italy after Dominik Szoboszlai converted an 88th-minute penalty to edge out Inter Milan.
The lead-up to the meeting had been overshadowed by Mohamed Salah’s omission, following his claim that the club had mistreated him and that his relationship with Arne Slot had deteriorated.
With the Egyptian attacker left on Merseyside, responsibility for the spot fell to Szoboszlai once VAR ruled that Alessandro Bastoni had pulled Florian Wirtz’s shirt inside the area.
Yann Sommer guessed correctly but could not stop the fierce strike, sealing a valuable result for a side attempting to stabilize after a turbulent spell.
Liverpool arrived in Milan after losing nine of their previous 12 outings, yet this success stretched their positive run to four matches. They now sit on 12 points from six group-phase games, a tally that lifted them into the top eight—positions that deliver direct entry to the last-16 round.
Inter, level on points, slipped to fifth as they fell to their first home setback in the tournament since autumn 2022. The Italian club had looked set to claim at least a draw in a largely balanced contest before the decisive late intervention.
Turning points before the breakthrough
Earlier, Liverpool believed they had gone ahead when Ibrahima Konaté powered in a header from a corner. However, after a long stoppage for video review, Felix Zwayer ruled the effort out because the ball brushed Hugo Ekitike’s arm before dropping to Konaté.
The Merseyside outfit still carved chances, with Curtis Jones, Szoboszlai, and Ekitike each testing Sommer during a sharp first half.
Inter, meanwhile, suffered setbacks as Piotr Zielinski and Yann Aurel Bisseck both limped off.
The disallowed goal energized the hosts, who grew into the contest.
Nicolo Barella bent a set piece just wide before Alisson Becker reacted well to deny a close-range header from Lautaro Martínez. Despite these flashes, the encounter drifted towards a scoreless outcome—the first that would have arrived under Slot—until Wirtz coaxed a foul from Bastoni in the closing moments.
Szoboszlai then struck calmly for his second goal in as many matches, maintaining Liverpool’s recent success at the San Siro.
Slot’s adjustments shape the result
Attempting to move beyond the Salah saga, Slot reshaped his team by adopting a narrow diamond in midfield. Liverpool moved the ball with more conviction than in previous outings, with Jones acting as the central influence in the system.
Up front, Alexander Isak and Ekitike began together for only the second time this campaign, as Slot made four alterations from the draw at Leeds, including placing Wirtz on the bench. Isak struggled to cope with Inter’s physical defending and finished the opening half hobbling, while Ekitike remained lively following his brace in Yorkshire.
Even so, the forward pair failed to combine consistently before Isak made way for Wirtz. With Salah’s outlook unclear and Cody Gakpo expected to be absent for several weeks, forging a functional partnership remains an urgent task.
Yet the evening ultimately highlighted Liverpool’s unity and resilience at a moment when pressure on Slot has been intense.
More than 4,000 travelling supporters celebrated high in the stands as the visitors secured another memorable victory in Milan.
