Bayern Munich Vs. Inter Milan, 2011 UEFA Champions League: Goran Pandev Equalizes In 87th Minute, Has Inter Set To Go Through On Away Goals

The 80th minute sees Inter Milan approaching desperation, needing a goal to keep their Champions League alive. Whereas most of the match as seen Inter start to pressure as Bayern as brought to ball close to the center circle, the Nerazzurri is pressuring all the way up the pitch. After a few minutes of troubling Bayern this way, the home side has started to adjust, sit deeper, and create the dynamic we almost always see at the end of one goal matches: All-out attack versus all-out defense.

After a couple of Inter forays down their left were broken up at the edge of the attacking third, Bayern was able to break out and establish possession in the Inter half, wasting two minutes of time while the Nerazzurri collapsed in defense, set-up, and then tried to win the ball. Once the did, the holders broke into the Bayern end but quickly gave the ball away when a diagonal pass from the right was over-hit in trying to connect to Wesley Sneijder.

One minute later, the miraculous moment comes. Inter finds the equalizer - the goal that should send them through. Coutinho brings the ball in from the left and gives to Samuel Eto’o, whose nice work on the ball draw the defense before he lays a pass off to the right of the area. The ball rolls slowly, as if bowled out of somebody’s arm, and waits for Goran Pandev to come from deep, hitting a perfect ball first time, the left-footed shot going into the upper left hand corner.

Inter Milan ties the match, 2-2. They draw even in the tie, 3-3, but now holding two away goals, the holders are set to survive, provided the can keep Bayern off the scoresheet until the 95th minute.