Barcelona and Inter Milan both scored in the final 10 minutes to split the points in Northern Italy, playing out a 1-1 draw that helps both in their pursuit of Champions League knockout stage qualification. With Lionel Messi watching from the stands due to injury, Barca was the better, more threatening side on the night, but Icardi's 87th-minute goal, against his former club, allowed Inter Milan to keep a three-point lead over third-place Tottenham in Group B. Here's how it went down.
Dominant, but it took a while for the breakthrough
Barcelona looked really sharp without Messi, and the team had 16 more shots than Inter. Barca controlled the ball for nearly two-thirds of the game and created enough chances to win, but some big saves from Samir Handanovic kept his club in it.
Then finally, 83 minutes in, Brazilian Malcolm found the breakthrough:
Icardi - clutch
Then Icardi came up huge in the most unlikely of moments. Think about it -- the game was 87 minutes old and Inter Milan did not have a shot on goal. In finished the match with just one on frame, and it was a goal.
Icardi did well in the box three minutes from time for the all-important equalizer:
Breaking down the numbers
- Barcelona had seven more shots on frame, 360 more completed passes and more than double the total shots yet couldn't win.
- The concern with Inter entering the year was defensively, but in the team's last 13 games, it has only conceded seven goals.
- If Barcelona draws PSV next time out, they will clinch a spot in the round of 16. A win will likely be enough to win the group.
What's next?
Barca goes to PSV on Nov. 28, while Tottenham hosts Inter on the same day.
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