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Marko Arnautovic secured a crucial 1-0 victory for Inter Milan against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday.
The Austria striker scored the decisive goal with just 11 minutes remaining at the San Siro, capitalizing on a fumble by Atletico’s goalkeeper Jan Oblak, who failed to handle Lautaro Martinez’s shot.
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Arnautovic’s goal, which transformed jeers into resounding cheers, came after a series of missed opportunities that had left home fans uncertain about Inter Milan’s chances of securing a deserving win.
Despite Arnautovic’s decisive moment, he had earlier squandered a golden opportunity just after the hour mark, sending a sitter over the bar. This glaring miss, along with failed attempts to capitalize on promising chances, had frustrated supporters.
Returning to Inter on loan from Bologna last summer, Arnautovic had faced challenges, but his crucial goal gave Simone Inzaghi’s side a narrow advantage. Inter Milan now holds a slender lead as they head to Madrid for the decisive second leg on March 13.
While Atletico Madrid has showcased a more attacking style this season, they adopted a defensive approach reminiscent of Diego Simeone’s tenure in Spain.
However, they were unable to withstand Inter Milan’s pressure, and overturning the result in the second leg became crucial for Atletico to advance to the quarter-finals.
