Barcelona and Inter Milan draw 3-3 in thrilling first leg of their Champions League semifinal

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Lamine Yamal's curler that went in off the post after the teenager's great dribble? Marcus Thuram's nifty back-heeled flick? Raphinha's missile that hit the bar and the goalkeeper before finding the net?

And don’t forget Denzel Dumfries’ bicycle kick, before he scored again with a powerful header.

You have your pick of great goals from Barcelona and Inter Milan’s thrilling 3-3 draw to start their Champions League semifinal on Wednesday, setting up a must-see sequel next week in Milan.

Opta Stats said it was joint-highest highest score for a draw in a Champions League semifinals since Bayern Munich and Dynamo Kiev finished with the same score in April 1999.

What was supposed to be a contrast of styles between the top-scoring Barcelona and the stingiest defense in the competition turned into a shootout.

“We saw a fantastic match and we knew that semifinals are difficult. We could even have won," Inter coach Simone Inzaghi said. “Our fans know that we’ve been giving our utmost in difficult times and we know that Tuesday will be a ‘final.'"

Inter matched Barcelona's firepower with two goals from corner kicks, and the hosts needed another stellar performance from 17-year-old Yamal in his 100th appearance for his club.

Except for Inter’s start and strength in set pieces, Barcelona imposed its game and had 66% possession and created 10 shots on goal to Inter’s three, according to UEFA's stats — but had to settle for a draw.

Thuram was a doubt for the starting 11 after missing Inter’s previous three matches — all losses without a goal. But the striker used the back of his heel to turn in a cross by Dumfries to stun the hosts just seconds after kickoff.

Dumfries then put Inter into what appeared to be a comfortable lead when he scored his first of two goals with a bicycle kick after a corner kick was headed onto him in the 21st.

Yamal sparked Barcelona into action in the 24th when he dribbled past two defenders and sliced a shot in off the far post. He went close to an equalizer moments later after gliding down the endline and firing a shot with just a sliver off an angle off the crossbar.

“Yamal is a fantastic player, in the big matches you can see his quality, and he showed it today,” Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said about his forward.

“At 2-0 down," he continued, "I knew that this was a semifinal between great clubs and I knew that the huge experience they have was being demonstrated. They are good at set plays too, but Lamine showed us the way forward. His goal to make it 2-1 was so important.”

Ferran Torres rammed in a headed pass by Raphinha to equalize for Barcelona in the 38th.

Inter suffered another blow when Lautaro Martínez had to be substituted at halftime, but Dumfries charged in to head home a corner kick to put Inter back ahead in the 63rd.

Raphinha needed two minutes to pull Barcelona level again when his blistering shot from outside the top of the box struck the crossbar, ricocheted off the back of goalkeeper Yann Sommer and found the net.

“Playing at home, we had the obligation to win,” Raphinha said. “But the result is not that bad and we will prepare for the second game so we come out on top.”

Barcelona is trying to reach its first final since 2015, when it collected its fifth title. In its first season under Flick, the Spanish club is also trying to repeat the treble of major trophies it won a decade ago.

Inter is aiming for its second final in three years, after losing to Manchester City in the trophy match in 2023.

The last time three-time winner Inter lifted the European Cup it beat Barcelona at the same stage in 2010.

The winner will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Arsenal in Munich on May 31. PSG beat Arsenal 1-0 in London on Tuesday in their first match.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates after scoring during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Inter Milan's Yann Bisseck, left, and Barcelona's Ronald Araujo fight for the ball during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Inter Milan players celebrate after a goal during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Inter Milan's Denzel Dumfries, center, scores during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, center, is challenged by Inter Milan's Carlos Augusto, left, and Inter Milan's Henrikh Mkhitaryan during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, left, and Inter Milan's Henrikh Mkhitaryan fight for the ball during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Barcelona's goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny clears the ball in front of Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Ferran Torres celebrates after scoring during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Barcelona's Ferran Torres, left, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Ferran Torres, left, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Jules Kounde, right, celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Spanish Copa del Rey final soccer match between Barcelona and Real Madrid at Estadio de La Cartuja stadium in Seville, Spain, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Inter Milan's Marcus Thuram reacts after a missed scoring opportunity during the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Inter Milan and Bayern Munich at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Barcelona's Raphinha, centre, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's fourth goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Celta de Vigo at the Lluis Companys Olympic stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez celebrates at the end of the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Inter Milan and Bayern Munich at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Inter Milan's head coach Simone Inzaghi reacts during the Serie A soccer match between Inter Milan and Roma at the San Siro Stadium, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Veteran Australia batter Usman Khawaja has announced he will retire from international cricket after the fifth Ashes test beginning Sunday at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

He didn't go quietly.

The Pakistan-born Khawaja, who was the first Muslim to play for Australia, used his retirement announcement Friday to criticize the “racial" stereotyping he experienced during his career.

It will be the 39-year-old Khawaja's 88th and final test — played at the ground where he began his first-class career. Khawaja scored his first Ashes century at the SCG with 171 against England in 2018.

It was also at that the SCG where he revived his career at age 35, scoring two centuries against England. That prompted one of the great late-career revivals, as Khawaja hit seven centuries in his next two years back in the side.

But Khawaja’s position had come under scrutiny and criticism this season after being unable to open in the first Ashes test in Perth due to back spasms and then missing the Brisbane test with the injury.

He was then initially left out in Adelaide until Steve Smith’s vertigo allowed Khawaja to return, before an 82 in the first innings there ensured he would stay in the side for the fourth test in Melbourne. Australia, with a 3-1 lead going into the fifth test, has retained the Ashes.

Khawaja said he felt he was treated “a little bit different, even to now,” because of his Pakistan and Muslim background.

"Different in the way I’ve been treated, different in how things have happened,” he said at a media conference in Sydney. “I had back spasms, it was something I couldn’t control. The way the media and the past players came out and attacked me . . . I copped it for about five days straight. Everyone was piling in.

“Once the racial stereotypes came in, of me being lazy, it was things I’ve dealt with my whole life. Pakistani, West Indian, colored players...we’re selfish, we only care about ourselves, we don’t care about the team, we don’t train hard enough."

Khawaja said he knew the end of his career was imminent.

“I guess moving into this series, I had an inkling this would be the last series," he said. "I’m glad I can go out on my own terms.”

Khawaja has scored 6,206 runs at an average of 43.49 in his 87 tests with 16 centuries and 28 half-centuries.

“Usman has made a huge contribution to Australian cricket both through his outstanding achievements as one of our most stylish and resilient batters . . . and off field, particularly through the Usman Khawaja Foundation,” Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg said in a statement.

“Usman has been one of Australia’s most reliable opening batters and testament to his success was him being named ICC test cricketer of the year the same season that Australia won the World Test Championship (in 2023).”

Khawaja said his No. 1 emotion on announcing his retirement was “contentment.”

“I’m very lucky to have played so many games for Australia the way I have,” Khawaja said. "I hope I have inspired people along the way.”

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja with his wife Rachel and daughters Aisha and Ayla after announcing that he will retire from international cricket following the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Australia, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Australia Usman Khawaja, centre, sits with teammates after announcing he will retire from international cricket following the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Australia, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Australia Usman Khawaja warms up during a practice session ahead of the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Australia, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Australia's Travis Head, right, is congratulated by teammate Usman Khawaja after reaching 50 runs during play on day three of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

Australia's Usman Khawaja sign autograph to fans after they won the third Ashes cricket test match against England in Adelaide, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 (AP Photo/James Elsby)