Borussia Monchengladbach 2-3 Inter Milan: Romelu Lukaku keeps visitors' Champions League hopes alive

Romelu Lukaku scored twice in the second half to steer Inter Milan to a vital win at Borussia Moenchengladbach on Tuesday and keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive with Group B still wide open with one round of games left.

The Belgium international has proved a lifesaver for Inter, having also scored twice, including a last-minute equaliser, in their 2-2 draw with the Germans in Italy on the first matchday.

Lukaku fired home for a 2-1 lead in the 64th minute at Borussia Park and tapped in his second goal nine minutes later to make it 3-1, with Inter now needing a win in their last group match against Shakhtar Donetsk to have any chance of advancing.

Gladbach are top on eight points from five games, one ahead of Shakhtar and Real Madrid after the Ukrainians earlier beat the visiting Spaniards 2-0. Inter have five points. All four teams will battle to reach the last 16 on the final matchday.

Inter were rewarded for their strong start with Matteo Darmian slotting the ball through the legs of goalkeeper Yann Sommer from a tight angle in the 17th minute.

The Germans, going into the game with the second-best goals haul in the entire group stage, found their footing after half an hour.

Despite frantic shouts of ‘calma, calma’ from Inter coach Antonio Conte echoing across the empty stadium, the Italians lost their grip on the game and Alassane Plea headed home the equaliser in first-half stoppage time.

But as the hosts edged closer to a second goal aftter the break, Lukaku struck with a powerful shot across the area into the far corner. He then completed a quick move launched by Alexis Sanchez with an easy tap in to create a two-goal cushion.

However, Monchengladbach were not yet done and Plea cut the deficit after 76 minutes. In a tense finale the Frenchman had an effort disallowed by VAR in the 84th for an offside, leaving his fuming coach Marco Rose arguing with the referee after the game

‘Maybe we are not a great team yet but we are growing,’ Lukaku said. ‘Obviously when you are leading 3-1 you have to avoid the risks we had tonight and kill the game when you have the chance to.’ 

‘They scored and we were lucky that their goal was offside. We hope this win will give strength for the future,’ he said.

Lukaku has scored four goals against Gladbach, after netting twice, including a last-minute equaliser, in their 2-2 draw in Italy.

‘I’m happy to be playing with these lads because they helped me grow a lot, the 27-year-old said. ‘I think I have been playing my best football in this last year and a half and I owe it to my coach and my team mates.

‘I’m only one of the 25 players in the squad. We have players with more experience than me. I just want to help the team win games and I’m happy when it happens.’

Conte told Sky Sport Italia: ‘Gladbach are in an excellent period of form, in both the Bundesliga and the Champions League. If you are not a team, tactically, physically, in terms of character, you don’t come here and win.

‘We absolutely deserved to win and could’ve frankly avoided suffering quite so much towards the end. We beat the group leaders and we are alive. I thank the lads, they had the right spirit. When they have this desire to help each other out and be a real team, we cause problems for the opposition.’