Inter Milan snatched a dramatic victory over Fiorentina after turning around a late deficit in stoppage time to reclaim top spot in Serie A and escape a setback that seemed imminent until the final moments.
The Giuseppe Meazza Stadium hosted the matchday eight encounter, which Cristian Chivu’s side entered needing a win after Lazio had temporarily moved into first place following their victory over Parma on Saturday evening.
After a goalless first half, Fiorentina stunned the hosts by taking the lead through Álex Jiménez in the second half, capitalizing on a pass from Nicolò Fagioli and putting Inter at risk of their first league defeat of the season.
The Nerazzurri remained behind until the first minute of stoppage time, when Marcus Thuram restored parity following a setup from Andy Diouf, rekindling hope in the stands with a low strike into David de Gea’s bottom corner.
Inter did not stop at salvaging a point; they won a penalty after Thuram was pulled back by Víctor Valdepeñas inside the box, allowing substitute Piotr Zieliński to step up and convert successfully in the eighth minute of stoppage time, securing a 2-1 victory for his team.
The cruel finish for Fiorentina came after De Gea had preserved their lead for a lengthy period with fine saves to deny Thuram, Pio Esposito, and Petar Sučić in the closing minutes, before his net was breached twice during injury time.
Inter raised their tally to 22 points, reclaiming first place ahead of Lazio, who are level on points, while Roma follows in third with 18 points. The Nerazzurri continued their unbeaten start to the season, recording seven wins and one draw across eight matchdays.
The value of the victory is heightened considering the absence of captain Lautaro Martínez, alongside Benjamin Pavard, Curtis Jones, and Luis Henrique. Chivu started the match with a striking duo of Thuram and Esposito, before the decisive winning goal eventually came from the bench.
An important week awaits Inter to maintain their momentum: they visit Venezia on Wednesday, October 28, before taking on Milan in the Derby della Madonnina on Saturday, October 31, backed by the momentum of a comeback against Fiorentina that kept them at the forefront of the title race.
