Inter staged a spectacular comeback to stun Udinese 5-3 at San Siro, erasing a two-goal deficit with a dominant second-half performance. After falling behind early, the Nerazzurri regrouped to control proceedings with 66% possession and clinical finishing, with Marcus Thuram and Pio Esposito among the goalscorers in a thrilling turnaround.
Trailing 2-0 after 16 minutes, Inter recovered to win 5-3 against Udinese at San Siro on Monday, completing one of the more dramatic turnarounds seen at the ground this season. Goals from Carlos Augusto and Nicolò Barella leveled things before halftime, then Marcus Thuram, Pio Esposito and substitute Ange-Yoan Bonny pulled Inter clear in the second half. A late Idrissa Gueye strike made for a nervy finish, but Cristian Chivu’s side held on to stay level with Roma at the top of Serie A, according to Reuters.
Key Moments
- 9′, James Abankwah opened the scoring for Udinese, converting with an assist from Unai Gomez to give the visitors a shock lead at San Siro.
- 16′, Jürgen Ekkelenkamp doubled Udinese’s advantage, fed by Keinan Davis, leaving Inter two goals down inside the opening quarter-hour.
- 26′, Carlos Augusto pulled one back for Inter, getting the hosts on the board and starting the comeback.
- 35′, Nicolò Barella leveled at 2-2 with an assist from Marcus Thuram, restoring parity before halftime.
- 57′, Marcus Thuram turned scorer after providing the assist for Barella’s equalizer, giving Inter the lead for the first time. Andy Diouf set him up.
- 67′, Pio Esposito extended the lead to 4-2, finishing from a Piotr Zielinski pass to give Inter breathing room.
- 79′, Ange-Yoan Bonny, introduced in the 70th minute, made it 5-2 with his first touch of substance in the match.
- 90′, Idrissa Gueye, another substitute, reduced the deficit to 5-3 with an assist from Vakoun Issouf Bayo, but it was too late for Udinese.
Tactical Breakdown
Inter dominated the match in every measurable sense once they found their footing. They finished with 66% possession, 27 total shots to Udinese’s six, and an xG of 3.11 compared to Udinese’s 0.90. The 640 passes completed at a 93% accuracy rate reflected a side that, once they stopped conceding on the counter, controlled proceedings almost entirely. Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye was outstanding, making seven saves and single-handedly keeping the scoreline from becoming embarrassing.
The turning point came just before the hour mark. Chivu brought on Benjamin Pavard for John Stones and Curtis Jones for Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the 62nd minute, the latter having picked up a yellow card two minutes earlier for unsportsmanlike conduct. The double change shifted Inter’s energy in midfield and the third goal arrived five minutes later through Esposito, assisted by Zielinski. Thuram’s withdrawal at 70 minutes, replaced by Bonny, was initially a rotation move with the game in hand, but the substitute still managed to add a fifth.
Udinese’s opening 16 minutes were almost perfectly executed on the counter. They sat in their 3-4-2-1 and hit Inter twice on transitions, with both goals coming from their forward line. But with only 34% of the ball and a single corner kick all game, they had no route back once Inter found their rhythm. The defensive shape collapsed in the second half, conceding three times between the 57th and 79th minutes as Inter’s width and passing combinations overwhelmed them.
Player Ratings
Match Context
Standings
Head To Head
Verdict
The result keeps Inter level on 12 points with Roma at the top of Serie A after four matches, with both sides boasting identical win records, according to Reuters. For Udinese, a second straight league defeat leaves them sitting 13th on four points, and their early promise at San Siro will count for little once the final whistle echoes. Chivu will point to the response as much as the result, and rightly so.
Inter
Udinese
Marcus Thuram
Nicolò Barella