Roma and Inter Milan remain locked together at the top of Serie A after a pulsating 2-2 draw at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday, a match that lived up to its billing as the first meeting between two unbeaten sides at this stage of the season since October 2014.
Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma made a devastating start. Nahuel Molina spread the ball wide to Paulo Dybala before continuing his run to nod the Argentine's cross down to Manu Kone, who lashed a right-footed strike past Josep Martinez after just six minutes. The midfielder doubled the advantage in the 37th minute, tucking home at the far post after Gianluca Mancini headed Dybala's delivery into his path. The offside flag went up initially, but a VAR review overturned the decision.
Inter's first-half woes could have deepened when Yann Bisseck burst through on goal but got the ball trapped under his feet, while Alessandro Bastoni hit the outside of the post from a tight angle. Roma carried a 1.25 to 0.88 expected goals advantage into the break.
Cristian Chivu's half-time intervention changed the complexion of the contest. Inter needed just 51 seconds of the second half to pull a goal back as Lautaro Martinez, who had been flagged offside following a glaring first-half miss, finished from Marcus Thuram's centre. The Nerazzurri pressed forward relentlessly, but Mile Svilar preserved Roma's lead with a fine save from Andy Diouf and a miraculous stop from Donyell Malen's volley on the turn.
The equaliser came in the 79th minute. Svilar kept out Thuram's header from a corner, and even after Lautaro struck the crossbar on the rebound, Roma could not clear their lines. Manuel Akanji and Bisseck both got a toe to the ball in the melee before the Inter captain lashed the loose ball into the bottom-right corner.
The result means both sides stay on 13 points from five matches, with Roma leading on goal difference. It was a game of two halves: Roma won the xG battle in the first period, Inter dominated the second 1.49 to 0.43. Kone became only the fifth Roma player to score twice in the first half of a Serie A match against Inter, joining Roberto Pruzzo, Francesco Graziani, Abel Balbo and Francesco Totti in that select group. But it was Lautaro who had the last word, taking his seasonal tally to four goals.
Sources
https://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/serie-a/roma-inter-2-2-pagelle-lautaro-super-kone-8-chivu-squadra-problema-2275419 https://africasoccer.com/roma-2-2-inter-milan-lautaro-martinez-leads-nerazzurri-comeback-at-the-olimpico/
