Arsenal suffered their first defeat of this season’s Champions League after they had been overwhelmed 1-0 by Inter to compound what has been a troublesome few weeks for Mikel Arteta’s aspect.
A Hakan Calhanoglu penalty on the stroke of half-time proved to be the distinction at a usually raucous San Siro stadium because the Gunners fell to a second successive 1-0 loss.
Arteta’s aspect had been determined for a optimistic consequence, following the defeat to Newcastle within the Premier League on the weekend and the shock resignation of sporting director Edu that posed additional questions on their title hopes.
The Gunners had been with out Declan Rice, who didn’t journey after struggling a knock in opposition to the Magpies.
Arteta and co., nonetheless, may have been buoyed by the return of captain Martin Odegaard, who made the bench.
However Simone Inzaghi’s aspect annoyed Arsenal, with the Italian giants incomes their victory following an assured second-half defensive show.
It ends in a slim defeat in Milan.
Thanks on your assist tonight, Gooners. pic.twitter.com/OE5H30c7eW
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) November 6, 2024
The hosts confirmed speedy intent when, lower than two minutes in, Lautaro Martinez’s looping cross discovered marauding full-back Denzel Dumfries who cannoned a ferocious half-volley in opposition to the underside of the bar with David Raya properly overwhelmed.
Calhanoglu, returning to the Inter beginning line-up, then noticed his long-range strike roll narrowly broad in what had been early warning indicators for Arteta’s aspect.
The guests couldn’t get a foothold within the recreation, struggling to ascertain any sort of early rhythm in entrance of a usually boisterous San Siro crowd.
Gabriel and Martinez had been each proven early yellow playing cards following some jostling at a nook.
And it was solely after that that the Gunners started to indicate some struggle. On 19 minutes, captain for the evening Bukayo Saka’s harmful supply from a nook needed to be punched clear by Yann Sommer earlier than the Inter keeper was once more referred to as into motion 5 minutes later however Saka’s bobbled low shot proved snug.
The booming noise reverberating contained in the stadium belied the standard of soccer on present, with each groups producing only a few moments of sustained high quality within the first half an hour.
Saka’s corner-taking – maybe the one piece of constant brilliance within the half – continued to look threatening however it was the hosts who would ultimately break the impasse.
On the stroke of half-time a Calhanoglu free-kick was floated into the Arsenal penalty space. Mikel Merino, underneath stress from Mehdi Taremi, appeared to kick the ball onto his personal arm, prompting Romanian referee Istvan Kovacs to level to the spot.
After a VAR verify, Calhanoglu coolly dispatched the penalty, changing his nineteenth spot kick from his final 19 to offer Inter the lead.
Hakan Calhanoglu offers Inter Milan the lead from the spot 🎯
Arsenal may really feel arduous finished by after the penalty was awarded for handball 🤚
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/kzA7Mm58sL
— Soccer on TNT Sports activities (@footballontnt) November 6, 2024
Arteta made his intentions clear after the break, bringing on Gabriel Jesus for Merino as Arsenal seemed to get again within the recreation.
And so they began the second interval brightly. Jesus’ compatriot, Gabriel Martinelli, rippled the aspect netting instantly after the restart earlier than his nook moments later ought to have been transformed by William Saliba, however the Frenchman one way or the other failed to attach with the header and a wonderful probability went begging.
Inter sometimes seemed threatening on the counter, however it was the guests who had been now dominant.
One other teasing inswinger from Saka was hacked clear by Dumfries on the road, whereas Sommer tipped away a curling Kai Havertz effort that appeared destined for the highest nook.
By this level, it was one-way visitors. However the Italian giants held agency in opposition to the following purple and white onslaught. Time after time, a sea of black and blue shirts discovered itself between the ball and the objective.
With 1 / 4 of an hour remaining, Yann Bisseck brilliantly blocked a Havertz shot on the flip, as, on the sideline, an more and more agitated-looking Arteta knew that point was slipping away.
Martin Odegaard is again on the pitch for Arsenal after two months out 🤝 pic.twitter.com/a7AhZMnYBq
— Soccer on TNT Sports activities (@footballontnt) November 6, 2024
Inter, in the meantime, appeared glad to guard the lead that they had; content material to place all eleven gamers behind the ball.
As a final throw of the cube, Arteta introduced on Odegaard for the ultimate couple of minutes after Havertz picked up a nasty trying blow following a conflict of heads with Bisseck.
One other substitute, Ethan Nwaneri, then blasted a shot excessive over Sommer’s objective as Inter’s dogged defending finally proved to be sufficient.
Inzaghi’s aspect held on to say three factors that raise them as much as fifth within the desk. Arsenal, however, fall to twelfth with work to do to get their season again on observe.