*Report by Omolade Durojaiye
Inter Milan set up a blockbuster derby in the Champions League semifinals on Wednesday after a 3-3 draw with Benfica which saw the Italians through 5-3 on aggregate.
Simone Inzaghi’s side will face local rivals AC Milan in the last four thanks to goals from Nicolo Barella in the 14th minute , Lautaro Martinez in the 65th minute and Joaquin Correa 78th minute which ensured straight forward qualification for the Italians.
Both Milan giants are trying to become the first Serie A side to win Europe’s top club competition since Inter last lifted the trophy in 2010.
Inter had come into Wednesday’s clash in a miserable run of form in which their only win in their last eight had come in last week’s first leg in Portugal.
The win set up two mouthwatering clashes with Milan next month after the Italian champions saw off Napoli on Tuesday night.
It also snapped a three match home losing streak in which Inter hadn’t scored a single goal and continued Inter’s impressive season in cup competitions while their league campaign flounders.
Martinez and Correa ended worrying goalscoring droughts with their strikes, as well as making sure that Fredrik Aursnes in the 38th minute , Antonio Silva in the 86th minute and Petar Musa in the 95th minute for the away side made no difference to the outcome of the tie.
Silva and Musa netted late on for Roger Schmidt’s team when Inter had already long made sure that they would be tussling Milan for a place in the June 10 final in Istanbul.
If there were any pre-match nerves among the sell out San Siro crowd they were soon eased as Inter immediately played like the team in two cup semifinals rather than the one which has lost 11 times in Serie A.