Inter let an early two-goal cushion slip through their fingers as Bologna fought back to end a three-game losing run at Giuseppe Meazza with a dramatic 2-2 draw. Most of the action took place in the opening 20 minutes, with the intensity diminishing throughout the encounter.
Francesco Acerbi found himself unmarked on the near post to head home Hakan Calhanoglu’s cross from the corner and put Inter in front only 11 minutes in. Moments later, Marcus Thuram laid the ball off to Lautaro Martinez, who netted his 10th Serie A goal of the season with a fabulous long-range strike.
Two goals behind after only 13 minutes of play, Bologna seemed destined for another disastrous result at Meazza following back-to-back 6-1 defeats at this stadium. However, Martinez offered Thiago Motta’s side a lifeline when he took down Lewis Ferguson in the box.
Referee Marco Guida pointed to the spot after consulting with VAR, with Riccardo Orsolini stepping up to take the penalty. Yann Sommer had no chance as Bologna headed into the halftime interval 2-1 down. Seven minutes after the break, Joshua Zirkzee stunned Meazza into silence.
Inter defenders reacted poorly, giving the Bologna ace acres of space on the edge of the box. Zirkzee was relentless with his finish, completing the comeback with a composed finish. Despite fighting tooth and nail to regain the lead, Inzaghi’s men failed to find a way past the visitors’ air-tight backline.
Inter (3-5-2)
Yann Sommer – 6
While there was nothing he could do to deny Orsolini from the spot, his positioning for Bologna’s second was questionable, to say the least. He allowed Zirkzee to wrong-foot him almost effortlessly.
Alessandro Bastoni – 5.5
A rare piece of wayward defending saw the Italian center-back walk away from Zirkzee, letting the ex-Bayern Munich man steady himself and pick his angles right to settle the score. It was one of several routine defensive interventions he should’ve handled differently.
Francesco Acerbi – 6
His deadlock-breaking header salvaged his day. Like Bastoni, he had some shaky moments, especially against Dan Ndoye. Recent injury setbacks could be taking their toll.
Benjamin Pavard – 6.5
While he didn’t make any grave mistakes, unlike his abovementioned colleagues, the versatile French defender showed occasional insecurity. But his pace and experience helped him get away unpunished. On the ball, however, he was nothing short of impressive.
Federico Dimarco – 6
He tried to be clever from a set-piece midway through the first half and almost got away with it, but Lukasz Skorupski fingertipped his effort narrowly over the crossbar. The Bologna keeper won another head-to-head as he thwarted the left-back’s volley with much trouble.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan – 5.5
Despite a decent start, he got lost and struggled to provide a passage for play in the middle. Much of his passes went backward, while he couldn’t flex his muscles when he should’ve, especially in the advanced positions. Inzaghi could’ve subbed him off earlier.
Hakan Calhanoglu – 6.5
His perfectly-taken corner-kick served Acerbi on a platter. He had a few decent set-piece deliveries. However, the deep-lying playmaker wasn’t as eventful from open play, struggling to up the tempo when Inter needed it the most.
Nicoló Barella – 7
In contrast to Calhanoglu’s slow-motion moves, the Italian midfielder was on his toes all afternoon. Constantly shifting through the lines, seeking pockets of space, and bringing his teammates into action, the ex-Cagliari man was his side’s driving force today.
Denzel Dumfries – 5.5
Given the Dutchman’s flying start to the season, Inter fans must have expected more from the in-form full-back. But this wasn’t his day. His crosses were imprecise, while his trademark runs down the flank were only sporadic.
Marcus Thuram – 6
Barring the assist for Martinez, the Frenchman had a relatively quiet afternoon. Bologna defenders kept him at arm’s length without giving him a clear sight of goal once. Inzaghi had to pull him off.
Lautaro Martinez – 6.5
Another world-class goal from the Argentine! He unleashed a thunderbolt from mid-range into the top corner, leaving Lukasz Skorupki a mere spectator. But he didn’t see much of the ball otherwise.
Substitutes
Juan Cuadrado – 6
Fancy footwork was on display on the Colombian’s return from injury but without the end product.
Carlos Augusto – 6
Inzaghi’s hopes to intensify the pressure by introducing the Brazilian at Dimarco’s expense paid no dividends, as the Monza loanee was anything but an upgrade on the Italian star.
Alexis Sanchez – 6
Despite enjoying much of the ball since coming on, he failed to make a difference.
Davide Frattesi – 5.5
Virtually invisible since taking Mkhitaryan’s place.
Kristjan Asllani – N/A