Bologna held Inter level at the break and had every reason to believe they could spring an upset at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara. They couldn’t. Cristian Chivu’s side turned the screw in the second half, with Carlos Augusto coming off the bench to score the go-ahead goal and set up Ange-Yoan Bonny for the clincher in an ultimately comfortable 3-1 victory. Inter stay top of Serie A with 19 points from seven games.
Key Moments
- 10′, Bologna draw first blood. Pobega finishes from a Juan Miranda pass to give the hosts an early lead.
- 44′, Inter level just before half-time. Thuram converts with Barella providing the assist, keeping the visitors from going in behind.
- 69′, Carlos Augusto, on as a substitute moments earlier, puts Inter ahead immediately, finishing from a Zielinski delivery to flip the match.
- 83′, Bonny wraps it up. The forward, also a second-half substitute, converts a Carlos Augusto pass to seal the three points.
Tactical Breakdown
Inter’s dominance in the underlying numbers was comprehensive. Chivu’s side finished with 65% possession, 17 shots to Bologna’s 11, and an xG of 3.41 compared to 0.98 for the hosts. Operating in a 3-5-2, Inter moved the ball quickly through Barella and Zielinski in central areas, generating consistent pressure even when Bologna’s defensive shape held firm in the opening stages.
The match turned on Inter’s triple substitution at the 69th minute. Carlos Augusto replaced Federico Dimarco and scored within seconds of stepping onto the pitch, converting from Zielinski’s pass. That goal broke Bologna’s resistance entirely. With Bonny already on from the 58th minute, Inter now had fresh legs in dangerous areas, and Bonny made the game safe at 83, tapping in after Carlos Augusto cut the ball across. The bench decisively changed the game.
Bologna struggled to sustain any threat after their bright opening. After Pobega’s 10th-minute goal, the hosts were largely pushed back, managing just five shots on goal for the entire match. A yellow card for Arthur Theate led to his withdrawal at 63 minutes, and four bookings across the second half reflected Bologna’s growing frustration. With Zortea offering little going forward on the right, Bologna could not build on their early lead, and the gaps Inter exposed in behind proved fatal.
Player Ratings
Match Context
Standings
Head To Head
Verdict
Inter move to 19 points and remain three clear of second-placed Lazio, who have a game in hand. For Bologna, the loss leaves them in 14th place on five points after seven matches, and Raffaele Palladino acknowledged post-match that his side paid for leaving the game in the balance after taking an early lead. The gap between these two clubs right now is not just on the scoreboard.