Inter Milan scored late goals to earn a 2-0 win at Borussia Dortmund in their final Champions League group phase match on Wednesday but it was not enough for a top-eight finish, with both teams going into the playoffs for a knockout stage spot.
Federico Dimarco curled home a sublime free kick in the 81st minute before Andy Diouf added another goal in stoppage time to snap Inter's three-game losing run in the competition.
This duo 🖇️ pic.twitter.com/0TxfR4Ttf5
— Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter_en) January 28, 2026
Despite hopes before the game of a top-eight spot and automatic progress to the last-16, Inter came 10th on 15 points.
The Germans, who despite a golden early chance rarely got a look-in, will also go into the two-legged playoffs for a place in the round of 16, after finishing 17th on 11.
"We got what we deserved and we shouldn't look back but take what we've done," said Inter coach Cristian Chivu.
"Here, with this crowd, it wasn't easy. But the game was good, even though we could have done a little more."
The top eight teams in the league stage qualify for the round of 16, with the next 16 going into the playoffs.
Dortmund should have taken the lead in the 11th minute when Serhou Guirassy was left unmarked with only Yann Sommer to beat, but the keeper stood his ground to deny the Guinea striker.
Yann Bisseck responded with a double chance for Chivu's team five minutes later in an evenly balanced first half where each side had 50 per cent possession and a shot on target.
There were few chances after the break with the Italians' hard-working defence giving the Germans little space to move. Even the introduction of forward Karim Adeyemi in the 68th minute did little for Dortmund.
It was Inter who upped the tempo in the final 20 minutes and they stunned the sold-out 81 365 crowd when Dimarco floated his free-kick over the wall past keeper Gregor Kobel for the lead.
With Dortmund desperate to find an equaliser, Inter struck again in stoppage time with Diouf dribbling past two Dortmund players in the box to slot home.
"We could have achieved more today," said Dortmund captain Emre Can. "In the end, they were a bit more mature than us and deserved to win."