forward Lautaro Martinez (hidden) score the 3-0 past Shakhtar
Donetsk’s Ukrainian goalkeeper Andrey Pyatov during the UEFA Europa
League semi-final football match Inter Milan v Shakhtar Donetsk on
August 17, 2020 in Duesseldorf, western Germany. Lars Baron / POOL
/ AFP
Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez both scored twice as
Inter Milan stormed into a first European final in 10 years with a
5-0 thrashing of Shakhtar Donetsk in Dusseldorf.
Danilo D’Ambrosio was also on target for Antonio Conte’s men,
who will face Sevilla in Friday’s final in Cologne.
The Italian giants have endured a lean decade since winning the
Champions League in 2010, but closed the gap on Juventus at the top
of Serie A to just one point in Conte’s first season in charge and
are now one win away from a first trophy in nine years.
Martinez and Lukaku’s prolific partnership has been the source
of much of Inter’s success and they took their tally to a combined
54 for the season.
Romelu Lukaku celebrates scoring the 5-0 goal during the UEFA
Europa League semi-final football match Inter Milan v Shakhtar
Donetsk on August 17, 2020, in Duesseldorf, western Germany. Lars
Baron / POOL / AFP
After a slow start, Martinez rose highest to power home Nicolo
Barella’s cross to open the scoring on 19 minutes.
Shakhtar are one of European football’s great survivors as the
Ukrainian champions continue to thrive despite not playing a match
in their home city of Donetsk for six years due to a war in eastern
Ukraine between government forces and Russian-backed
separatists.
coach Antonio Conte shakes hands with Shakhtar Donetsk’s Portuguese
coach Luis Castro after the UEFA Europa League semi-final football
match Inter Milan v Shakhtar Donetsk on August 17, 2020 in
Duesseldorf, western Germany. Sascha Steinbach / POOL /
AFP
Luis Castro’s men had scored 14 goals in five Europa League
games since dropping into the competition form the Champions
League, but their talented array of Brazilian forwards barely laid
a glove on a characteristically well-organised Conte defence.
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At the other end, Martinez was always lively and only a
brilliant save from 36-year-old Andriy Pyatov denied him a classy
second as he won the ball 30 yards from goal and immediately lobbed
the ball goalwards early in the second half.
Shakhtar had one golden chance to level when Mykola Matviyenko’s
cross picked out Junior Moraes, but the Brazilian-born Ukrainian
international’s header was too close to Samir Handanovic.
Two minutes later, Inter landed the killer blow when D’Ambrosio
met Marcelo Brozovic’s corner with a powerful header.
Lukaku extended his run of scoring in now 10 straight Europa
League games, but the Belgian was made to wait as Pyatov got down
well to save his first big sight of goal.
Martinez showed the way with by finding the bottom corner with a
brilliant quick hit that gave Pyatov no time to set himself after
Shakhtar were caught in possession inside their own half for his
21st goal of the season.
coach Luis Castro follows from the sidelines during the UEFA Europa
League semi-final football match Inter Milan v Shakhtar Donetsk on
August 17, 2020, in Duesseldorf, western Germany. Sascha Steinbach
/ POOL / AFP
Lukaku then got in on the act 12 minutes from time as this time
Martinez played provider before his strike partner slotted low into
the far corner.
Five minutes later the former Manchester United striker had his
33rd goal of the campaign by accelerating away from a slow Shakhtar
backline before firing through Pyatov’s legs.
AFP