Lautaro Martinez helps Inter Milan get a draw at Real Sociedad

• Real Sociedad hosted Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League match week one
• Inter came into the match fresh from last season’s final loss to Manchester City
• The visitors had to score late to salvage a draw and avoid an early upset in the 2023/24 season

Lautaro Martinez scored late to salvage a draw for Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League match against Real Sociedad at the Estadio de Anoeta.

Last year’s runners-up, Inter, had failed to register a single shot on target in their opening Group D match when captain Martinez finally found the net in the 87th minute.

Brais Mendez had given Sociedad an early lead, but the Spanish side, returning to the Champions League for the first time since 2013-14, suffered twice by hitting the woodwork.

Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez celebrates after scoring the equalizer against Real Sociedad in the UEFA Champions League. | PHOTO: Eurosport |

Inter had demolished city rivals AC Milan 5-1 on Saturday but appeared to be a mere shadow of the team that had won their first four Serie A matches.

Sociedad, who had lost 2-1 to Real Madrid the previous Sunday and had only won one of their first five La Liga games, took an immediate offensive stance.

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Ander Barrenetxea had already struck the crossbar when Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni lost possession, providing Mendez with a clear shot on goal which he successfully converted.

Marko Arnautovic missed Inter’s best chance before half-time, heading wide, while Sociedad came close to extending their lead.

Robin Le Normand’s diving header from Takefusa Kubo’s precise cross narrowly cleared the bar, and the impressive Kubo forced Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer to make a low save just before the break.

Sommer pulled off an even better save early in the second half to deny Mikel Oyarzabal’s header as Sociedad hunted for another goal.

Le Normand’s header was blocked before Inter got a lifeline in the 65th minute when referee Michael Oliver initially showed Inter’s Nicolo Barella a straight red card.

The Italian midfielder seemed to have stamped on goal-scorer Mendez, but VAR intervened, and Oliver reversed his decision after reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor.

Mikel Merino then headed another cross from Kubo against the bar for Sociedad as Inter failed to pose an attacking threat.

Simone Inzaghi’s side had only managed one attempt on goal throughout the game when they believed they had equalized.

In the 79th minute, Carlos Augusto side-footed Alexis Sanchez’s low cross into the area, but his effort was disallowed for offside.

However, in the 87th minute, Inter leveled the score with their first shot on target.

Martinez capitalized on Davide Frattesi’s low diagonal ball into the box, lifting a superb first-time shot over Sociedad goalkeeper Alex Remiro.