Inter Milan secured a 2–1 victory against Fiorentina at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, climbing to the summit of the Serie A standings after a dramatic late comeback, MARCA reported. The reigning champions faced an uphill battle in Milan after falling behind in the second half, but goals from Marcus Thuram and Piotr Zieliński in the dying minutes altered the trajectory of the fixture.

Thuram Sparks the Inter Comeback in Stoppage Time

For long stretches of the afternoon, Fiorentina’s defensive organization and the heroics of goalkeeper David de Gea frustrated the Nerazzurri attack. De Gea tallied eight saves to keep the visitors ahead after Álex Jiménez broke the deadlock in the 65th minute with a long-range strike into the top right corner, following an interception by Nicolò Fagioli. Inter dominated possession and generated 3.4 expected goals (xG) compared to Fiorentina’s 0.24, yet repeatedly hit the woodwork through Carlos Augusto, whose headers bounced off the crossbar and the frame of the goal within a frantic minute.

The breakthrough arrived in the 91st minute. Marcus Thuram fired a low effort past a crowded penalty area that slowly crossed the line by the right post to level the score at 1–1. Thuram dedicated his finish to absent teammate Lautaro Martínez—currently sidelined with a hamstring strain—by replicating the Argentine forward’s trademark celebration. Minutes later, Thuram drew a foul from Víctor Valdepeñas inside the box, prompting referee Maurizio Mariani to point to the penalty spot.

Zieliński Secures the Winner from the Penalty Spot in the 97th Minute

Stepping up deep into stoppage time at the 97th minute, Piotr Zieliński struck his penalty with conviction into the upper tier of the net, leaving De Gea with no chance and sealing the 2–1 scoreline for Cristian Chivu’s side. The dramatic finish extended a notable personal milestone for Thuram, who became only the third Inter player to score in at least seven consecutive home matches in Serie A during the three-points-per-win era, joining Romelu Lukaku (2021) and Christian Vieri (2003).

The defeat left Fiorentina manager Paolo Vanoli ruing missed opportunities, particularly after his side held firm for the majority of the second half before conceding the late flurry. Meanwhile, the victory propelled Inter past Lazio—who had defeated Parma 2–1 earlier in the weekend—to capture first place in the league table as the Italian top-flight schedule progresses.