Champions League Inter vs Arsenal: Jesus Brace Puts Arsenal 2-1 Ahead as Petar Sučić Stuns Milan
Inter vs Arsenal has burst into life in the Champions League league phase, with Arsenal leading 2-1 in Milan as the match hits the late stages of the first half. A Gabriel Jesus double has the visitors in front, but the moment of the night so far belongs to Petar Sučić, whose curling strike hauled Inter Milan level before Arsenal struck again.
It’s the kind of frantic opening that turns a big UCL fixture into a momentum fight: Arsenal punishing small lapses in the box, Inter responding with a thunderbolt and a clear intent to overload the wide channels.
Inter – Arsenal: Live score, goals, and the key moments
Score (late first half): Inter 1–2 Arsenal
Goal timeline
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10’ Arsenal 0–1: Jesus reacts fastest in the area and finishes from close range.
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18’ Inter 1–1: Sučić bends a superb equaliser into the top corner from the edge of the box.
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31’ Inter 1–2: Jesus strikes again, finishing a close-range chance after sustained pressure around the penalty area.
Quick first-half themes
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Arsenal have been ruthless when the ball drops in the six-yard zone.
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Inter’s best moments have come when they play through pressure quickly and arrive late around the box.
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Set pieces and second balls are already shaping the storyline.
Arsenal vs Inter Milan UCL: What the standings pressure looks like
This match has real table weight. Arsenal came into Milan as the league-phase pace-setters with a perfect record after six games, while Inter started the night in the chasing pack with a strong points total but less margin for error if they want to lock in a top-eight finish without drama.
That context explains the tempo: Arsenal are playing with the confidence of a side that expects control, while Inter are playing like a team that knows a home win would reshape their route through the final matchday.
Petar Sučić: A statement goal on a statement night
For Petar Sučić, scoring in Inter vs Arsenal isn’t just a highlight—it’s a career marker. Midfielders earn trust in Europe by delivering in high-pressure minutes, and his equaliser had all the ingredients of a “big-stage” moment: timed arrival, quick set, and a finish that gives the goalkeeper no chance.
More importantly for Inter, the goal showcased a route back into the game that’s sustainable: late central arrivals when Arsenal’s back line is occupied by the strikers and wing-back runs. If Inter keep finding Sučić and their other midfield runners in that pocket, the chances will keep coming.
How the game is being won and lost: tactics in plain terms
Arsenal’s edge
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Box sharpness: Two close-range goals tell you Arsenal are attacking the second phase relentlessly.
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Spacing in transition: When Inter commit numbers forward, Arsenal are finding space behind the wing-backs and turning it into dangerous entries.
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Control through midfield balance: Arsenal’s structure is holding even when the match speeds up.
Inter’s route back
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Wide-to-central patterns: Getting the ball wide early, then cutting it back into the “D” for late runners.
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More shots, faster: When Inter hesitate at the edge of the area, Arsenal reset. When Inter shoot or slip the final pass immediately, Arsenal’s defensive line is forced to react.
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Tempo swings after turnovers: Inter look most threatening right after winning the ball, before Arsenal can set their block.
What to watch in the second half
If the score stays tight, the second half usually comes down to three things:
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Inter’s wing-back delivery vs Arsenal’s counter threat
Inter will push higher. That creates crossing volume—but it also opens the door to Arsenal counters into the channels. -
Set pieces and second balls
Arsenal have already shown they’re aggressive on recycled situations. Inter must win first contacts and clear their lines cleaner. -
Midfield discipline around the box
Sučić’s goal came from space at the edge. Arsenal will try to shut that zone; Inter will try to create it again with quick cut-backs and late runs.
Champions League takeaway so far
This champions night in Milan is delivering: intensity, goals, and a standout moment from Petar Sučić. Arsenal have the lead and the calmer structure, but Inter have a clear path back into the match—especially if they keep turning wide pressure into central shooting chances.
If Inter can add a little more speed in the final third without losing their rest-defence shape, this one still has “swing game” written all over it.