Serie A: Inter in ritardo per battere la Fiorentina per 2-1 dopo il ritorno

Inter Milan secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Fiorentina at San Siro on Sunday, striking twice in stoppage time to overturn a deficit and reclaim the top spot in the Italian Serie A. The hosts trailed for much of the second half following a long-range effort by Alex Jimenez, but Marcus Thuram equalized in the 91st minute before winning a penalty that Piotr Zielinski converted in the 98th minute. The result lifted the Nerazzurri back to first place, tying them with Lazio on 22 points, while extending Fiorentina’s winless streak to four matches and leaving the visitors in 18th position. The match began with Inter Milan dominating possession under manager Cristian Chivu, yet the home side struggled to breach the defensive line organized by the struggling Florentines. Goalkeeper David de Gea emerged as the key figure for the visitors, making several crucial interventions throughout the opening period. In the 36th minute, de Gea used his fingertips to save a header from Pio Esposito, preventing the first major chance of the game from resulting in a goal. Shortly before halftime, the Spanish keeper reacted quickly to parry an angled drive from Thuram, keeping the scoreless draw intact at the break. The second half followed a similar pattern, with Inter pressing high and Fiorentina sitting deep to launch counter-attacks. Thuram came close in the 49th minute, testing the woodwork with a touch on a cross from Carlos Augusto. He attempted another strike in the 57th minute, but de Gea remained alert to block the effort. Chivu introduced Bonny for Esposito in the 64th minute in an attempt to increase pace up front, but it was the visitors who found the breakthrough just one minute later. Alex Jimenez, a former AC Milan player, caught the debutant Inter goalkeeper Ivan Provedel off guard with an audacious strike from outside the box. The ball flew into the top corner, giving Fiorentina a 1-0 lead against the flow of play. Inter immediately launched themselves forward in search of an equalizer. Carlos Augusto hit the crossbar with a glancing header in the 70th minute, and substitute Petar Sucic was denied by de Gea shortly thereafter. Despite sustained pressure, the home side could not find a way through until the final moments of regulation time. In the 91st minute, Thuram broke away on a solo run and guided a shot into the bottom corner to level the score. The momentum shifted decisively toward Inter, and in the 97th minute, the referee awarded a penalty after Thuram was dragged down inside the box by Victor Valdepenas. Zielinski stepped up to the spot and slotted the kick precisely under the crossbar to secure the win. The victory marked Inter’s fifth comeback win of the season, following previous reversals against Udinese, Napoli, Bologna, and a draw against Rome. It was also their third consecutive league match won from behind at San Siro. Fiorentina arrived at San Siro determined to avoid being mere spectators in the title race, relying heavily on de Gea’s performance to stay competitive. However, the defeat leaves them in difficult territory near the relegation zone. The match concluded a busy week for Inter, who had previously won a league game at Bologna and a European fixture against Shakhtar with ten men. The team will look to maintain their form when they travel to Venice on Wednesday for a midweek fixture. Other results from the Sunday schedule included a 4-4 draw between Atalanta and Frosinone, where seven of the eight goals were scored between the start of the match and the 50th minute. Genoa defeated Venezia 1-0. Matches involving Juventus versus Lecce and AC Milan versus Udinese were scheduled to take place later in the day. For Inter, the win keeps them level with Lazio at the summit of the table, though both clubs remain ahead of AS Roma. The psychological impact of the late collapse was noted by local media, describing the final seven minutes as a frantic sequence that saved Inter from a potential slip that would have allowed rivals to close the gap in the championship battle. The statistical dominance of Inter in the first half contrasted sharply with the clinical efficiency of Fiorentina’s single opportunity. De Gea’s presence was pivotal in keeping the visitors in the game until the late surge by the hosts. Thuram’s dual contribution of a goal and a penalty-winning foul highlighted his importance in the attack. Zielinski’s composure from the penalty spot provided the decisive difference in a match that swung dramatically in the final stages. The outcome underscores the resilience of Chivu’s squad, which has repeatedly found ways to recover from deficits this season. As the league progresses, the tightness at the top of the standings suggests that such dramatic finishes may become a recurring feature of the campaign.