BE'ER SHEVA – Inter's Europa League campaign came to an end in Israel as Hapoel scored three goals in the second half to complete a dramatic comeback and win 3-2.
Goals from Mauro Icardi and Marcelo Brozovic in the first half gave the Nerazzurri a two-nil lead at the interval, but the home side came back into the contest after the restart and eventually got the winning goal in the 92nd minute.
Stefano Pioli opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation on his first game in Europe as Inter coach: Icardi supported by Antonio Candreva and Eder wide, plus Ever Banega in a free role behind the Nerazzurri skipper.
Inter began on the front foot and looked to press Hapoel from the off. Aside from a freak cross that deflected off Yuto Nagatomo and hit the bar with Samir Handanovic stranded, all the early chances fell to the Nerazzurri.
Banega gave a sign of things to come in the fifth minute when he whipped in a free-kick from the left wing that narrowly evaded Icardi, Miranda and Danilo D'Ambrosio to nestle safely behind for a goal-kick. Eder was the supplier seven minutes later when he delivered a low, dangerous cross to the near post from open play; Icardi reacted fastest and stabbed the ball home to give us the lead.
The Nerazzurri looked comfortable in defence and dangerous in attack, constantly probing to increase our lead. That duly happened in the 25th minute when Marcelo Brozovic capped off a flowing move with a neat, curling finish in off the post from outside the area.
Hapoel woke up towards the end of the first half, but Inter protected their lead and saw things out to the interval. The only action of note was Samir Handanovic receiving a yellow card for time-wasting that would prove to be costly later on in the contest.
The Israeli came out for the second half transformed, determined to turn the match around. Nevertheless, the first big chance fell to the visitors, as Brozovic played Icardi into a dangerous position in the area. The Inter captain turned sharply and fired a rising effort that cannoned off the crossbar.
In the 58th minute, substitute Maharan Radi collected the ball inside Inter's half and delivered an inch-perfect cross, which Lucio Maranhao headed past Handanovic to bring the home side back into the game.
The goal galvanised Hapoel and the noise inside the Turner Stadium increased dramatically. In the 66th minute, Anthony Nwakaeme put a cross into the area that Maor Buzaglo tried to help on but couldn't find the target.
The definitive turning point in the game was in the 69th minute when Handanovic came off his line to close down Buzaglo, who was bearing down on goal. The Nerazzurri keeper was forced into a last-ditch attempt to prevent the equaliser, but brought down the Israeli striker instead. The referee pointed to the spot and produced a second yellow for the Slovenian shot-stopper. Replacement keeper Juan Pablo Carrizo got a hand to Nwakaeme's penalty but couldn't keep it out and suddenly Inter were faced with a mountain to climb.
To their credit, the players refused to lie down and Candreva made sure David Goresh had to be at his best to keep out the Italian's fierce volley late on. In fact, the winning goal came as the Nerazzurri were flooding forward in search of the winner; the ball broke loose and Mohammad Ghadir backheeled it to Ben Sahar, who slotted home to make it 3-2 and end Inter's adventure on the continent.
HAPOEL BE'ER SHEVA 3-2 INTER (HT: 0-2)
Scorers: Icardi 12, Brozovic 25, Lucio Maranhao 58, Nwakaeme 70 (pen), Sahar 92.
HAPOEL BE'ER SHEVA: 1 Goresh; 2 Bitton, 20 Taha (7 Radi, 35), 4 Miguel Vitor, 5 Tzedek, 69 Korhut; 11 Buzaglo, 12 Hoban (8 Ghadir, 80), 30 Ogu, 9 Nwakaeme; 22 Lucio Maranhao (14 Sahar, 75).
Subs not used: 55 Haimov, 3 Turjman, 17 Ohayon, 21 Shabtal.
Coach: Barak Bakhar.
INTER: 1 Handanovic; 33 D'Ambrosio, 25 Miranda, 24 Murillo, 55 Nagatomo; 77 Brozovic, 5 Melo (27 Gnoukouri, 62); 87 Candreva, 19 Banega (30 Carrizo, 69), 23 Eder (44 Perisic, 60); 9 Icardi.
Subs not used: 11 Biabiany, 13 Ranocchia, 15 Ansaldi, 99 Pinamonti.
Coach: Stefano Pioli.
Yellow cards: Korhut 19, Lucio Maranhao 42, Bitton 54, Nwakaeme 64, Nagatomo 86.
Red cards: Handanovic 44, 69.
Additional time: 1+3 minutes.
Referee: Javier Estrada.
Assistant referees: Miguel Martinez, Teodoro Sobrino.
Fourth official: Javier Rodriguez.
Additional assistants: Alejandro Hernandez, Ricardo De Burgos.
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