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Reuters
Reuters
Sport

Lukaku rescues late draw for Inter at home to Gladbach

Soccer Football - Champions League - Group B - Inter Milan v Borussia Moenchengladbach - San Siro, Milan, Italy - October 21, 2020 Inter Milan's Romelu Lukaku scores their first goal Pool via REUTERS/Luca Bruno

Romelu Lukaku scored twice, including a 90th-minute equaliser, to give Inter Milan a 2-2 draw at home to Borussia Moenchengladbach in the Champions League on Wednesday where five shots on target produced four goals.

The Belgian put Inter in front with an opportunist goal in the 49th minute but the Bundesliga side levelled in the 63rd with their first shot on target, a penalty converted by Ramy Bensebaini.

Gladbach's second and only other shot on target also produced a goal as Jonas Hofmann put them ahead in the 84th minute before Lukaku pulled Inter level, scoring in his ninth consecutive European game.

Soccer Football - Champions League - Group B - Inter Milan v Borussia Moenchengladbach - San Siro, Milan, Italy - October 21, 2020 Borussia Moenchengladbach's Ramy Bensebaini celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates Pool via REUTERS/Luca Bruno

Christian Eriksen, benched for Saturday's derby against AC Milan, started for Inter, who were missing six players who had tested positive for COVID-19 in the last two weeks.

There was precious little excitement in the first half as Inter battled to break down Gladbach's defence where Nico Elvedi was outstanding.

Lukaku had the best chance when his sidestep took him clear but he fired across the face of goal.

Soccer Football - Champions League - Group B - Inter Milan v Borussia Moenchengladbach - San Siro, Milan, Italy - October 21, 2020 Inter Milan's Romelu Lukaku celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates Pool via REUTERS/Luca Bruno

But he broke through after halftime by turning in Matteo Darmian's scuffed shot from close range after Danilo D'Ambrosio kept the ball in play.

Gladbach, playing in the group stage for only the third time, had offered nothing in attack but were handed a lifeline by Inter midfielder Arturo Vidal who lunged at Marcus Thuram in the penalty area.

The referee initially played on but changed his mind after consulting the pitchside monitor and Bensebaini equalised from the spot.

Soccer Football - Champions League - Group B - Inter Milan v Borussia Moenchengladbach - San Siro, Milan, Italy - October 21, 2020 Borussia Moenchengladbach's Ramy Bensebaini scores their first goal from the penalty spot Pool via REUTERS/Luca Bruno

Lautaro Martinez smacked the post with a brilliant volley from Darmian's cross but, incredibly, Gladbach went ahead.

Florian Neuhaus split Inter's defence with a diagonal pass and Hofmann broke clear to place his shot through Samir Handanovic's legs although they had to wait three minutes for a VAR check before the goal was confirmed.

However, Inter had the last laugh when a corner was headed on by Alessandro Bastoni -- recovered from COVID-19 -- and Lukaku forced it into the net at the far post.

(Writing by Brian Homewood; Editing by Toby Davis)

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