Szoboszlai’s Late Penalty Lifts Liverpool Past Inter in Dramatic Night at San Siro
From the start, you could sense the tension. The Liverpool fans high up in the stands made their feelings clear, chanting Arne Slot’s name with real conviction. Not once did Salah’s song ring out, which said everything about the mood within the travelling support. While Salah watched on from afar, it was his teammate and, in a way, the subject of their disagreement—Dominik Szoboszlai—who would ultimately decide the match.
Liverpool didn’t arrive in Milan in ideal shape. The squad was thin, the bench even thinner, and key players like Cody Gakpo, Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endo were all missing. Still, Slot managed to put out a £204 million strike partnership in Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitiké, supported by a fluid midfield diamond. That structure gave Liverpool far more control than they’d shown in recent weeks, and Inter took nearly an entire half to figure out how to respond.
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Inter’s night started poorly, losing Hakan Calhanoglu early to injury and then Francesco Acerbi not long after. Even Lautaro Martínez looked rattled, earning a silly booking after crashing into Andy Robertson late. Liverpool took advantage of those shaky moments, carving out openings and even celebrating briefly when Ibrahima Konaté bundled in from close range—until VAR stepped in, spotting the ball brushing Ekitiké’s arm. After almost four minutes of review, the goal was wiped out.
Inter grew much stronger in the second half, as you would expect from a team that has reached two of the last three Champions League finals. Martínez forced a sharp save from Alisson with a thumping header, and Van Dijk had to make a crucial block as Inter pushed harder. But Liverpool hung in, reorganised, and showed a defensive resilience that Slot had desperately needed.
Then came the turning point. Substitute Conor Bradley, who injected real energy the moment he stepped on, drove Liverpool forward and helped create the sequence that led to the late penalty. Florian Wirtz had his shirt tugged by Alessandro Bastoni, and after another VAR review, the referee pointed to the spot. With Salah out of the picture, Szoboszlai stepped up confidently and smashed the ball into the top corner, leaving Yann Sommer with no chance.
The release was instant. Liverpool had not only secured a crucial win—they had responded to a turbulent week by showing exactly where their commitment lies. For Slot, it was a moment of vindication. For Szoboszlai, it was a moment of leadership. And for Liverpool, it was a much-needed statement on one of European football’s biggest stages.
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