Serie A: Inter strike twice in stoppage time to beat Fiorentina 2-1 and join Lazio at the top

Vanoli’s Fiorentina led at San Siro from the 65th minute to the start of stoppage time, after a goal from Jimenez. Chivu’s Inter pushed without scoring: Carlos Augusto hit the crossbar in the 70th, De Gea saved from Sucic in the 88th. At the end of the second half, the defending champions were 0-1 down at home.

Thuram equalises, Zielinski finishes it

In the 90+1, Thuram equalised with a superb left-footed strike. In the 90+6, a header from Lavelli was diverted by a hand in the box; Zielinski converted the penalty in the 90+8. The turnaround happened exactly where Fiorentina had locked themselves in: the deeper the block dropped, the more the ball fell into their own area, and the hand on that header cost them the match.

What it changes

With the win, Inter join Gattuso’s Lazio at the top of Serie A after eight rounds. In Gazzetta dello Sport’s ratings, Thuram and De Gea take the highest marks (8), and the Fiorentina keeper had kept everything out for 90 minutes before the last two blows. On the Viola side, Mastantuono, a starter, had an off day (4.5), like Viery and Beto; Carlos Augusto and Lavelli, who won the penalty, are rated well.

The defending champions won a match they were still losing at the 90th minute; Fiorentina leave San Siro with the satisfaction of holding out for 90 minutes and the taste of what they let slip afterwards.