A bittersweet draw: it finishes 2 - 2 in the capital

ROME - Final thoughts after this lunchtime kick-off are multiple: the bitter feeling at having gone a goal down is matched by the disappointment of having conceded a late equaliser. In between those two Roma goals, however, Inter played with a dazzling tempo. Maybe there was a lack of energy in the final stages as the Nerazzurri sat deep in order to withstand Roma’s siege. We leave the Olimpico with a point after a bittersweet 2-2 draw where Roma took the led with virtually their first shot. This is Inter’s fourth stalemate this season and the Nerazzurri move up to 37 points in the standings. Now, though, heads turn to a Coppa Italia tie in midweek.

As was the case in Genoa, Inter got off to a quick start against Roma, spurned chances to take the lead and conceded from the opposition’s first chance. Fonseca’s side lined up as expected: a mobile 3-4-2-1 with Mhkitaryan roaming and plenty of adaptability. In a game with plenty of permutations at the top of the table, the Nerazzurri were aggressive and attacking, and Lautaro’s early effort was turned behind by Pau Lopez. Moments later, Lopez was called into action again, producing a splendid reaction save to deny Lukaku. Then, the Belgian fired over after Vidal won the ball high up the pitch.

Inter were on top but received a sucker-punch from the Giallorossi: Veretout dispossessed Barella and set off on the counter, Dzeko cut inside, Mkhitaryan helped it on, Pellegrini finished. The shot took a wicked deflection off Bastoni and there was nothing Handanovic could do. And so it was that Inter found themselves behind again inside 20 minutes. The goal galvanised the home team, who saw Veretout’s well-struck effort saved by Handanovic. It was a familiar situation for Inter as they looked to hit their opposition out wide (with Young having replaced Darmian, who was forced off after half an hour through injury). Vidal popped up in a bit of space in the box but put his shot wide. Young was consistently free down the left but Lautaro couldn’t direct a fine cross from the Englishman on target.

Ferocious. If there’s a word to describe Inter’s start to the second half, this is it. The Nerazzurri poured forward, bombarding the Roma box. Lukaku came close with a header before Brozovic saw his right-footed effort deflected behind. Inter were dominating proceedings, with Roma dropping increasingly deeper and struggling to break forward. In the 53rd minute, Lukaku escaped down the left and picked out Lautaro with a ball across the box, but Lopez denied the Argentine with a sensational stop.

Roma’s goal was living a charmed life, and it seemed to be another match where luck wasn’t on Inter’s side. Then, with 56 minutes on the clock, Conte’s men took an opportunity: Brozovic whipped in a corner and Skriniar headed home to level matters. With the wind in their sails, the Nerazzurri went on the hunt for a second against a beleaguered-looking Roma side. Spinazzola was struggling to deal with Hakimi, who, in the 63rd minute, completed the turnaround. It was a wonderful goal too: after great work by Lautaro and Brozovic to set him up, the Moroccan unleashed a sweet strike that kissed the underside of the bar as it went in.

With Inter 2-1 up, Roma tried to find a reaction, but it was the Nerazzurri who had the next chance as Vidal failed to connect with the ball from an excellent position. As fatigue started to set in, Fonseca’s changes gave Roma renewed energy and Roma began to push hard for an equaliser. First, Cristante saw his attempt smothered by Handanovic; then, the Nerazzurri shot-stopper denied Mancini. Seconds later, however, the latter headed into the net. Conte’s men had been pegged back on the 86-minute mark.

With the match drawing to a close, Inter failed to create any more chances and needed to remain on guard throughout five stoppage-time minutes as Roma ended the game on top.

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MATCH SUMMARY

ROMA (3-4-2-1): 13 Lopez; 23 Mancini, 6 Smalling, 3 Ibanez; 2 Karsdorp, 14 Villar, 17 Veretout (4 Cristante 79'), 37 Spinazzola (33 Bruno Peres 73'); 77 Mkhitaryan, 7 Pellegrini; 9 Dzeko (21 Mayoral 89').Substitutes: 12 Farelli, 87 Fuzato, 5 Jesus, 24 Kumbulla, 31 Perez, 42 Diawara, 57 Ruben, 64 Podgoreanu.Coach: Paulo Fonseca. 

INTER (3-5-2): 1 Handanovic; 37 Skriniar, 6 de Vrij, 95 Bastoni; 2 Hakimi (11 Kolarov 82'), 23 Barella, 77 Brozovic, 22 Vidal (5 Gagliardini 82'), 36 Darmian (15 Young 34'); 9 Lukaku, 10 Lautaro (14 Perisic 77').Substitutes: 27 Padelli, 97 Radu, 7 Sanchez,12 Sensi, 13 Ranocchia, 24 Eriksen.Coach: Antonio Conte.

Goalscorers: 17' Pellegrini (R), 56' Skriniar (I), 63' Hakimi (I), 86' Mancini (R)Bookings: Lukaku (I), Smalling (R), Mancini (R), Bastoni (I), Villar (R), Perisic (I)Added time: 3' - 5'.

Referee: Di Bello.Assistants: Preti, Bindoni.Fourth Official: Orsato.VAR: Mazzoleni.VAR Assistant: Paganessi.