Fatal Error. Goalkeeper's Blunder Decides Champions League Showdown Between Real Madrid and Inter Milan

Before kick-off, players observed a minute of silence for the victims of recent devastating floods in Nepal. The start of the match also had a ceremonial feel with individual awards presented – Arda Güler received the Breakthrough Player of the Year trophy, and homegrown star Kylian Mbappé was honored as the top scorer of the previous Champions League season. The match itself began with the Italian side showing more initiative, as Thuram found himself in an excellent position in just the third minute. Following a pass from Diouf, he fired from close range towards the right post, but goalkeeper Courtois kept his team in it with a superb save. Inter, despite having more possession and attempting to combine in the opponent's half, struggled immensely against the aggressive home pressing. This tactic paid off in the 14th minute. Bisseck made a huge blunder in front of his own penalty area, losing the ball, and Díaz immediately played through Kylian Mbappé, who coolly finished to open the scoring. The visitors tried to respond quickly, but Courtois safely parried Çalhanoğlu's powerful free-kick. Another catastrophic defensive lapse from the Milanese side occurred in the 23rd minute. This time, goalkeeper Martínez himself made an inexplicable error, as Federico Valverde bravely stole the ball from him and comfortably extended the lead to 2-0. Jones could have brought Inter back into the game, but his shot on the turn inside the box only hit the crossbar of the Madrid goal. At the other end, the home favorites threatened with quick counter-attacks. In added time of the first half, after another visitor error, Mbappé carried the ball forward, his shot was only parried by goalkeeper Martínez, and English midfielder Bellingham, with a golden opportunity to tap in, was denied by a fantastic save from the visiting goalkeeper.

VIDEO - Real Madrid's 2-0 goal after a huge goalkeeping error >>

Both teams entered the second half with an attacking mindset. Inter players pushed forward in search of a goal to get back into the game, but in the 52nd minute, Thuram shot over from the penalty spot, and Barella also missed from the edge of the box. Real Madrid relied on deadly counter-attacks. Bellingham squandered an incredible sitter from close range, again being phenomenally denied by Martínez, and the active Díaz also wasted a huge chance, shooting wide after a one-two with Mbappé. After an hour of play, visiting coach Chivu made a triple substitution to revitalize the offense. Courtois then had to deal with dangerous shots from Bastoni and Bisseck. The persistent efforts of the Italian team were finally rewarded in the 77th minute. Captain Lautaro Martínez delivered a pinpoint final pass directly in front of goal, where Carlos Augusto ran in and reduced the deficit to 1-2 from close range. In a dramatic finish, an unusual situation arose when Real Madrid failed to make a substitution within the ten-second time limit in the 87th minute, and according to the rules, had to play the following minute with ten men. Inter immediately tried to capitalize on the numerical advantage, and in the 89th minute, Mkhitaryan fired a dangerous shot. However, his deflected effort was brilliantly saved by Courtois, who pushed it wide for a corner, thus guiding the Spanish giants to an important victory.