Lautaro Martinez strikes twice as Inter fight back to draw 2-2 with Roma

Lautaro Martinez scored twice as Inter Milan produced another impressive comeback, recovering from a 2-0 deficit to draw 2-2 with Roma in a Serie A top-two battle on Saturday.

Both teams entered the match with perfect records, making the meeting in the Italian capital an early test between two sides expected to compete near the top of the table.

Roma, managed by Gian Piero Gasperini, had made an especially strong start to the campaign, winning their opening four matches while combining Donyell Malen’s goalscoring form with a disciplined defence.

They looked set for a fifth straight victory after Manu Kone struck twice to put Roma two goals ahead.

But Inter, as they had done in their 5-3 victory over Udinese after falling two goals behind earlier in the week, refused to give up.

“There is a lot of positivity in this side, both teams could’ve won it,” Gasperini told DAZN.

“I think we played on level terms… This match must give us confidence going forward.”

The game began with a moment of remembrance for Sandro Mazzola, the former Inter and Italy playmaker whose death at the age of 83 was announced earlier in the day. Both teams paid tribute to him before kick-off, while Inter wore black armbands.

Roma needed less than six minutes to take the lead. Kone reacted quickly to Molina’s knockdown, adjusted his position and fired the ball into the net.

Inter struggled to impose themselves during the opening period, with Dybala coming close to scoring a second for Roma on two occasions.

The visitors then had an opportunity to respond when Curtis Jones played a clever pass to Bastoni, but the Inter defender could only hit the post from a tight angle.

Roma eventually found a second goal in the 37th minute. Kone arrived at the back post and finished from close range.

The assistant referee initially raised the flag, but VAR reviewed the incident and Massa subsequently awarded the goal, giving Kone his second of the match.

Martinez leads Inter comeback

Whatever Chivu told his players during the interval had an immediate effect.

“I will focus on the second half, which in terms of attitude, grit and character was remarkable,” the Inter coach said.

“We were up against a great opponent, we know what Roma represent, and it was an entertaining match.”

Inter pulled one goal back less than a minute into the second half. Martinez connected with Thuram’s pull-back and his scrappy effort crept inside Svilar’s far post.

Roma still had chances to restore their advantage. Malen, who had already scored six goals, came close again in the 68th minute after creating space inside the box, but his fierce shot hit goalkeeper Josep Martinez in the head.

Inter continued to press in search of an equaliser. Svilar produced a sharp save during a late scramble, while Martinez subsequently headed against the crossbar.

The Argentine forward finally completed the comeback when the ball fell back to him inside the area. After controlling it with his thigh, Martinez calmly directed his shot past Svilar to make it 2-2.

The result ensured the points were shared in a match that showcased the resilience of the defending champions and the strength of Roma’s early-season challenge.

In the other Serie A fixtures, Cagliari moved to 12 points with a 1-0 win at Udinese, while Bologna and Torino drew 1-1.

Venezia were scheduled to host Lazio in Saturday’s final match.

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