Inter Milan scored two goals deep into added time to beat Fiorentina 2-1 at San Siro on Sunday, a dramatic turnaround that put them back on top of Serie A.
A thunderous effort from Alex Jimenez looked set to hand the struggling visitors an unlikely victory, yet Marcus Thuram pulled Inter level at 91 minutes, then won a penalty, which Piotr Zielinski converted at 98 minutes.
That result put the Nerazzurri back in first place on the league ladder, level on 22 points with Lazio, the surprise co-leaders, while the Florence side, now winless in four matches, remained 18th.
Before half-time Inter, under Cristian Chivu, held the upper hand, yet David de Gea kept them out. The goalkeeper stretched to touch away a header from Pio Esposito, and then, with a sharp response, deflected an angled shot struck by Thuram.
De Gea remained alert shortly after the restart, pushing a ferocious Thuram shot over the bar, yet it was Fiorentina who broke the deadlock after 65 minutes, despite having been second best.
Alex Jimenez, who once played for AC Milan, caught Inter's debutant goalkeeper Ivan Provedel off guard with a bold long-range effort, struck at an angle, that sailed into the upper corner.
Also Read: How Spurs Exploited Chelsea's Weaknesses to Win The Derby
Inter pressed hard for a way back into the contest. Carlos Augusto's header, which only brushed the top edge of the crossbar, went close, and De Gea kept out an effort from replacement Petar Sucic, yet the breakthrough only arrived once added time had begun.
Thuram steered a low finish into the lower corner of the net to draw Inter level, and he then earned a spot-kick after Victor Valdepenas pulled him down inside the area. Zielinski stepped up and scored it, sealing a thrilling win.
Elsewhere on Sunday evening, Atalanta entertain Frosinone and Genoa take on Venezia, while Juventus head to Lecce and AC Milan visit Udinese.
What The Win Meant For Inter
• Inter Back on Top of the Table: Inter's victory lifted them into first place in the standings, with 22 points from eight games, a total they share with Lazio.
• Inter Unbeaten run intact: Cristian Chivu's team fought back from trailing 1–0 in the closing stages, which kept their record in this season's Serie A free of defeat.
• Inter Title-Winning Character: Marcus Thuram scored in the 91st and Piotr Zieliński converted a penalty in the 97th minutes, both late in added time, showing the sort of resolve that champions are made of. Before that, Fiorentina keeper David de Gea had frustrated them for most of the contest.
• Personal Landmarks: Marcus Thuram, who levelled the score and also earned the penalty that settled the match, kept up his superb scoring run at San Siro, joining just two other Inter players since three points were awarded for a win to find the net in a minimum of seven Serie A games on the trot at home.
Also Read: Man City's Defeat To Villa Shows Possession is Not Enough
