Serie A: Inter snatch late win over Verona at Bentegodi

 Inter are keeping up with Serie A leaders after a late win against Hellas Verona on Sunday afternoon.

The Nerazurri got the maximum points, which leaves them in third on the Serie A table, a point behind Napoli, with a sensational Piotr Zielinski set-piece routine and Martin Frese’s own goal, after Giovane’s temporary equalizer.

The Nerazzurri went into the tie following a midweek 3-0 win over Fiorentina.

Chivu had to do without striker Marcus Thuram and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, bringing in Ange-Yoan Bonny back into the starting XI and rotating the midfield. 

The hosts on their part were still in the relegation zone, having failed to record a single win all season, with plus Suat Serdar joining Grigoris Kastanos, Unai Nunez, Daniel Oyegoke, Moatasem Al-Musrati, Tomas Suslov, and Yellu Santiago on the treatment table.

Inter started brightly, calling Lorenzo Montipò to action as the goalkeeper made a great fingertip save after three minutes, pushing a Piotr Zielinski angled drive inches wide of the far post.

Victor Nelsson, with an extraordinary goal-line clearance, saved the ball after Lautaro Martinez had sprung the offside trap to lob the on-rushing Verona keeper.

Inter eventually broke the deadlock in real style with a routine off the training ground, as Hakan Calhanoglu laid off a corner to the edge of the area, where Zielinski swept his perfect volley into the roof of the net with the inside of the right boot. The last time the Polish international scored was with a brace in the 4-4 draw with Juventus in October 2024.

Luis Henrique made Montipo work again when he stood up a cross for the Alessandro Bastoni header, forcing a fine save from the goalie, and Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro prevented Carlos Augusto from turning in the rebound.

Verona had their first notable chance from a corner when Yann Sommer was behind Martin Frese’s header.

Inter failed to adhere to the warning as Verona got the equalizer before half-time.

Gift Orban released Giovane down the right, where he took on Bastoni, and blasted a powerful finish into the far top corner, bending back Sommer’s fingertips.

Hellas would turn it around on the stroke of half-time, but the frame of the goal saved the visitors, as Rafik Belghali released a cross from the right to Orban, who got in front of Manuel Akanji for a flick from six yards that bounced off the post.

Verona had an opportunity to punish a sluggish Inter for another massive risk on 66 minutes when Giovane pounced on a misplaced Sucic pass, but was brought down by Yann Bisseck, who got a yellow card. Verona protested for a red card, but the referee ruled otherwise as it was still in the centre circle.

Substitute Francesco Pio Esposito saw his header looped onto the roof of the net from Federico Dimarco’s cross, while Dimarco also tested Montipò from a tight angle.

Armel Bella-Kotchap was on hand to prevent a Lautaro Martinez diving header, while Davide Frattesi nodded wide from a corner.

Inter then snatched victory in the last minute of the added time when Barella whipped in a cross from the left that sailed over Pio Esposito, but hit Martin Frese behind him, wrong-footing the goalkeeper.