INTER MILAN reached their third UEFA Cup final of the decade despite going down 1-0 to Monaco in the second leg of their semi-final in Monaco last night. Inter qualified 3-2 on aggregate.

The Italian side, winners in 1991 and 1994, meet Schalke 04, who beat Tenerife 2-0 after extra time last night and 2-1 on aggregate, in the two-leg final next month.

Nigerian striker Victor lkpeba, who scored Monaco's only goal in a 3-1 first-leg defeat in Milan, gave the French league leaders new hope when he volleyed home in the 70th minute.

Inter claimed handball but the referee patted the right side of his chest, indicating that midfielder Sylvain Legwinski had controlled the ball legally as he laid on the goal.

In Gelsenkirchen, a header from defender Thomas Linke, who rose in the 68th minute to power the ball past the Spanish side's Swedish goalkeeper Beng Andersson, took the tie into extra-time. Belgian striker Marc Wilmots headed the second in the 107th minute.