Monza 2 - 2 Inter, the Nerazzurri pegged back in stoppage time

MONZA 2-2 INTER

Goalscorers: 10' Darmian (I), 11' Ciurria (M), 22' Lautaro (I), 93' Caldirola (M)

MONZA (3-4-2-1): 16 Di Gregorio; 4 Marlon (5 Caldirola 46'), 3 Pablo Marì, 55 Izzo; 19 Birindelli (28 Colpani 73'), 32 Pessina, 7 Machin (22 Ranocchia 66'), 30 Carlos Augusto; 84 Ciurria, 47 Mota Carvalho; 37 Petagna (9 Gytkjaer 66'). Substitutes: 89 Cragno, 91 Sorrentino, 8 Barberis, 10 Valoti, 17 Caprari, 26 Antov, 38 Bondo, 44 Carboni, 60 Colombo, 77 D'Alessandro, 80 Vignato. Coach: Raffaele Palladino. INTER (3-5-2): 24 Onana; 37 Skriniar, 15 Acerbi, 95 Bastoni; 36 Darmian (2 Dumfries 80'), 23 Barella (5 Gagliardini 63'), 20 Calhanoglu (14 Asllani 55'), 22 Mkhitaryan, 32 Dimarco (8 Gosens 80'); 9 Dzeko ( 90 Lukaku 55'), 10 Lautaro. Substitutes: 1 Handanovic, 21 Cordaz, 6 De Vrij, 11 Correa, 12 Bellanova, 33 D'Ambrosio, 45 Carboni, 46 Zanotti. Coach: Simone Inzaghi. Referee: Sacchi. Assistants: Bottegoni, Cipressa. Fourth official: Massimi. VAR: Mazzoleni. VAR assistant: Di Martino.

A tough one to take. Because, after their win over Napoli, Inter needed a win to keep up the momentum. It's a tough one to take for many other reasons, too. Indeed, the team will return to Milan with just a point having taken the lead twice, hit the post through Lautaro and conceded in the 93rd minute after an unlucky deflection off Dumfries. Monza 2-2 Inter, a draw that leaves a bitter taste in the mouth after a tough, intense game in the rain. It was important to try and gain consistency and keep moving forward, but the Nerazzurri were unable to pick up three points. That despite Lautaro's fine performance and really good shifts from Bastoni, Darmian and Onana.

It was the first Serie A showdown between Monza and Inter in history, and the Nerazzurri had one mission after their win over Napoli at San Siro: build on that success with another victory. With this in mind, Simone Inzaghi made just one change to Wednesday's team, bringing in Lautaro to partner Edin Dzeko up front. As they did against Napoli, Inter began with an excellent attitude, getting at their opponents and exploiting Barella's movement between the lines.

Inter were sending plenty of men forward and reaped the rewards of this approach as a defender and wing-back combined to score the opener. Indeed, Bastoni sent in a fine cross from the left and Darmian sneaked in behind Carlos Augusto at the back post to give the Nerazzurri the lead. 1-0.

However, Inter's advantage lasted just 58 seconds as Ciurria successfully left fly with his left foot inside the area. A shot that nestled in the corner after some good work by Pessina. With Machin and especially Dani Mota Carvalho driving them forward, Monza were very much encouraged by the equaliser. But then, with the hosts seemingly in control, Lautaro struck almost out of nowhere. The Argentine managed to chase down Marì, rob the defender of the ball and deposit it into the net. The World Champion was well and truly back as he let out a big roar, and Inter were in front again.

The Nerazzurri were now able to play more freely, and they put some nice, fluid moves together. Barella picked out Dimarco, who fired over, after which Lautaro also had a go. Inter were causing Monza all sorts of problems, but the home side were still alive and Mota Carvalho's runs were giving the Nerazzurri something to think about.

Inter also went on the attack at the start of the second half, with Lautaro at the heart of the team's play. Inzaghi's men were looking good, but, in the rain in Monza, things became a bit more complicated as Barella and Calhanoglu were both forced off. The match turned into a real battle, with plenty of duels being fought all over the pitch. Onana had to scramble to keep out Marì's header. It was a warning sign. Monza were playing higher up the pitch, and Inter were only coming to life in brief spells. One such moment came in the 81st minute as Acerbi found the net, but the referee ruled it out after spotting an infringement in the area.

Three minutes later, Lautaro hit the post. All'84' ancora Inter con Lautaro, che coglie un palo clamoroso. Poteva essere il colpo di grazia, invece il Monza resta in vita e al 93, su un pallone buttato in area, trova il 2-2. Lo stacco di Caldirola in area è perentorio, il suo colpo di testa trova la deviazione sfortunata di Dumfries che rende impossibile la parata di Onana. Il pareggio scatena un finale convulso, nel quale ancora il Monza sfiora il gol. Si chiude sul 2-2 e l'Inter sale a quota 34.

LIVE UPDATES

FULL-TIME: MONZA 2-2 INTER

96' Caldirola threatens again. Onana saves his header this time.

93' Caldirola heads home to equalise. 2-2.

90' Five minutes have been added on.

84' Lautaro tries to bend one in with his right foot after great work by Bastoni. It hits the post!

81' Acerbi has the ball in the net but it's ruled out due to a foul by Gagliardini on Marì.

72' Marì heads towards goal from a Monza corner, Onana scrambles to keep it out.

67' Onana with some alert goalkeeping to beat Gytkjaer to the ball.

53' Darmian plays in a dangerous low ball that Dzeko can't quite get on the end of.

50' Lautaro heads over the bar from Dimarco's pinpoint free-kick.

46' The second half kicks off!

LIVE UPDATES

HALF-TIME: MONZA 1-2 INTER

45' One minute added on.

41' Dani Mota Carvalho sprints away from Darmian and Skriniar and then sees his cross-shot smothered by Onana.

32' Lautaro gets a shot away from the edge of the box, Di Gregorio palms it over.

31' A lovely Inter move involving Dzeko, Barella and Dimarco ends with the latter firing over.

22' GOAL! LAUTARO! El Toro robs Pablo Marì of the ball and finds the net! 2-1 to Inter!

19' Petagna fails to keep his header down from Machin's cross.

11' Ciurria scores an immediate equaliser with his left foot.

10' GOOAAALLLLL! Darmian sneaks in at the back post to meet Bastoni's cross and give Inter the lead!

4' Mota heads just over the bar for Monza.

1' The ball is rolling at the U-Power Stadium.

SERIE A | MATCHDAY 17

Saturday 7 January Fiorentina 2-1 Sassuolo Juventus 1-0 Udinese Monza 2-2 Inter

Sunday 8 January (all times CET) 12:30, Salernitana vs. Torino 15:00, Spezia vs. Lecce 15:00, Lazio vs. Empoli 18:00, Sampdoria vs. Napoli 20:45, Milan vs. Roma

Monday 9 January (all times CET) 18:30, Verona vs. Cremonese 20:45, Bologna vs. Atalanta

TABLE

Napoli 41 Juventus 37* Milan 36 Inter 34* Lazio 30 Roma 30 Atalanta 28 Udinese 25* Fiorentina 23* Torino 22 Bologna 19 Lecce 18 Empoli 18 Monza 18* Salernitana 17 Sassuolo 16* Spezia 14 Sampdoria 9 Cremonese 7 Hellas Verona 6

*one more game played