Nicolas Barella (51′) and Belgian Romelu Lukaku (82′ from a penalty kick) scored the visitors’ goals.
The two teams will meet again next Wednesday at the Giuseppe Meazza stadium in Milan.
Inter hit two birds with one stone, as it regained the tone of victories that it missed in the last six matches (3 draws and the same defeats), and also strengthened its chances of reaching the semi-finals of the competition for the first time in 13 years, specifically since 2010 when it was crowned the third title in its history.
The last victory of Inter, the runner-up of the competition in 1967 and 1972, dates back to the fifth of last March, when it beat its guest Lecce 2-0 in the local league.
On the other hand, Benfica, the champion in 1961 and 1962 and the runner-up in 1963, 1965, 1968, 1988 and 1990, suffered its first loss in the competition this season and the second in a row, after falling in the local El Clasico against Porto 1-2 on Friday in the league.
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