Struggling Arsenal frustrated in San Siro by dogged Inter

Arsenal suffered their first defeat of this season’s Champions League after they were beaten 1-0 by Inter to compound what has been a difficult few weeks for Mikel Arteta’s side.

A Hakan Calhanoglu penalty on the stroke of half-time proved to be the difference at a typically raucous San Siro stadium as the Gunners fell to a second successive 1-0 loss.

Arteta’s side were desperate for a positive result, following the defeat to Newcastle in the Premier League at the weekend and the surprise resignation of sporting director Edu  that posed further questions about their title hopes.

The Gunners were without Declan Rice, who did not travel after suffering a knock against the Magpies.

Arteta and co., however, will have been buoyed by the return of captain Martin Odegaard, who made the bench.

But Simone Inzaghi’s side frustrated Arsenal, with the Italian giants earning their victory following an assured second-half defensive display.

It ends in a narrow defeat in Milan.

Thank you for your support tonight, Gooners. pic.twitter.com/OE5H30c7eW

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) November 6, 2024

The hosts showed immediate intent when, less than two minutes in, Lautaro Martinez’s looping cross found marauding full-back Denzel Dumfries who cannoned a ferocious half-volley against the underside of the bar with David Raya well beaten.

Calhanoglu, returning to the Inter starting line-up, then saw his long-range strike roll narrowly wide in what were early warning signs for Arteta’s side.

The visitors could not get a foothold in the game, struggling to establish any kind of early rhythm in front of a typically boisterous San Siro crowd.

Gabriel and Martinez were both shown early yellow cards following some jostling at a corner.

And it was only after that that the Gunners began to show some fight. On 19 minutes, captain for the night Bukayo Saka’s dangerous delivery from a corner had to be punched clear by Yann Sommer before the Inter keeper was again called into action five minutes later but Saka’s bobbled low shot proved comfortable.

The booming noise reverberating inside the stadium belied the quality of football on show, with both teams producing very few moments of sustained quality in the first half an hour.

Saka’s corner-taking – perhaps the one piece of consistent brilliance in the half – continued to look threatening but it was the hosts who would eventually break the deadlock.

On the stroke of half-time a Calhanoglu free-kick was floated into the Arsenal penalty area. Mikel Merino, under pressure from Mehdi Taremi, appeared to kick the ball onto his own arm, prompting Romanian referee Istvan Kovacs to point to the spot.

After a VAR check, Calhanoglu coolly dispatched the penalty, converting his 19th spot kick from his last 19 to give Inter the lead.

Hakan Calhanoglu gives Inter Milan the lead from the spot 🎯

Arsenal might feel hard done by after the penalty was awarded for handball 🤚

📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/kzA7Mm58sL

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 6, 2024

Arteta made his intentions clear after the break, bringing on Gabriel Jesus for Merino as Arsenal looked to get back in the game.

And they started the second period brightly. Jesus’ compatriot, Gabriel Martinelli, rippled the side netting immediately after the restart before his corner moments later should have been converted by William Saliba, but the Frenchman somehow failed to connect with the header and a glorious chance went begging.

Inter occasionally looked threatening on the counter, but it was the visitors who were now dominant.

Another teasing inswinger from Saka was hacked clear by Dumfries on the line, while Sommer tipped away a curling Kai Havertz effort that seemed destined for the top corner.

By this point, it was one-way traffic. But the Italian giants held firm against the ensuing red and white onslaught. Time after time, a sea of black and blue shirts found itself between the ball and the goal.

With a quarter of an hour remaining, Yann Bisseck brilliantly blocked a Havertz shot on the turn, as, on the sideline, an increasingly agitated-looking Arteta knew that time was slipping away.

Martin Odegaard is back on the pitch for Arsenal after two months out 🤝 pic.twitter.com/a7AhZMnYBq

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 6, 2024

Inter, meanwhile, seemed happy to protect the lead they had; content to position all eleven players behind the ball.

As a last throw of the dice, Arteta brought on Odegaard for the final few minutes after Havertz picked up a nasty looking blow following a clash of heads with Bisseck.

Another substitute, Ethan Nwaneri, then blasted a shot high over Sommer’s goal as Inter’s dogged defending ultimately proved to be enough.

Inzaghi’s side held on to claim three points that lift them up to fifth in the table. Arsenal, on the other hand, fall to 12th with work to do to get their season back on track.