Inter hits crossbar twice in 0-0 draw at Shakhtar in CL

Inter Milan dominated but it was held to a second successive draw in the Champions League, ending 0-0 at Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday.

The Nerazzurri hit the crossbar twice and were also denied by some superb goalkeeping from Shakhtar’s Anatoliy Trubin.

Shakhtar still leads Group B after its surprise 3-2 victory at Real Madrid last week. It has two points more than Inter and three more than Borussia Mönchengladbach, which hosts Madrid later.

Inter Milan's head coach Antonio Conte reacts during the Champions League, Group B, soccer match between Shakhtar Donetsk and Inter Milan at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020.(AP PhotoEfrem Lukatsky)

Inter needed a last-minute equalizer to draw at home to Gladbach in their opener but it had routed Shakhtar 5-0 in August in the Europa League semifinal.

Shakhtar welcomed back several of the players who had missed the victory in Madrid because they were in isolation following a coronavirus outbreak in the squad. However, it lost forward Dentinho early on with a hamstring problem and he was replaced by Taison.

Inter almost took the lead moments later. Trubin did well to parry Romelu Lukaku’s effort and the ball came back to the Inter forward who cut it back to Nicolò Barella, but his shot cannoned off the crossbar.

Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez reacts after missing an opportunity to score during the Champions League, Group B, soccer match between Shakhtar Donetsk and Inter Milan at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020.(AP PhotoEfrem Lukatsky)

Trubin then did even better shortly before full time with a sensational fingertip save to push Lukaku’s free kick onto the crossbar.

Inter continued to press after the break and should have broken the deadlock early in the second half. Trubin blocked an effort from Marcelo Brozović and Lautaro Martínez incredibly fired the rebound wide from close range.

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Inter Milan's Romelu Lukaku looks on during the Champions League, Group B, soccer match between Shakhtar Donetsk and Inter Milan at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020.(AP PhotoEfrem Lukatsky)

Shakhtar's goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin deflects a free kick by Inter Milan's Romelu Lukaku into the crossbar during the Champions League, Group B, soccer match between Shakhtar Donetsk and Inter Milan at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020.(AP PhotoEfrem Lukatsky)

Inter Milan's Romelu Lukaku, center, challenges for the ball with Shakhtar's Valeriy Bondar in the penalty area during the Champions League, Group B, soccer match between Shakhtar Donetsk and Inter Milan at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020.(AP PhotoEfrem Lukatsky)

Inter Milan's Arturo Vidal sees the yellow card during the Champions League, Group B, soccer match between Shakhtar Donetsk and Inter Milan at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020.(AP PhotoEfrem Lukatsky)

Shakhtar's head coach Luis Castro gestures during the Champions League, Group B, soccer match between Shakhtar Donetsk and Inter Milan at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020.(AP PhotoEfrem Lukatsky)

Shakhtar's Dentinho leaves the pitch after an injury during the Champions League, Group B, soccer match between Shakhtar Donetsk and Inter Milan at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020.(AP PhotoEfrem Lukatsky)