Martinez double brings Inter back to draw at Roma
Lautaro Martinez's brace cancelled out a double from Manu Kone as Inter Milan recovered from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Scudetto rival Roma at Stadio Olimpico.
Both teams entered the clash with maximum points on the board after four Serie A matchdays, and while neither stayed perfect, Cristian Chivu's Inter will be happier with the result after being two goals down at half-time.
Backed by a vociferous home crowd, Roma made a lightning start. Nahuel Molina spread the ball out wide for Paulo Dybala before continuing his run to nod his fellow Argentine's cross down to Kone, whose right-footed strike beat Josep Martinez for power after just six minutes.
Dybala then had two attempts as Roma continued to attack at breakneck speed, sending a half-volley over the crossbar and a 25-yard drive flashing past the post.
Inter's first opening saw Yann Bisseck burst through on goal, but the defender got the ball trapped under his feet at the vital moment and Mile Svilar came out to smother his attempt.
Alessandro Bastoni also hit the outside of the post from a tight angle, before Kone struck again for Roma in the 37th minute, tucking home at the far post after Gianluca Mancini threw himself at Dybala's cross. The offside flag initially went up, but a video assistant referee (VAR) review led to that decision being reversed.
Inter needed a fast start to the second half, and only needed 51 seconds to pull a goal back as Lautaro Martinez, who had been flagged offside after a glaring first-half miss, finished from Marcus Thuram's centre.
The Nerazzurri then enjoyed a spell of dominance, but Thuram's backheel from Carlos Augusto's delivery drifted wide of the near post, while Svilar beat Andy Diouf's drive to safety.
In between those chances, Donyell Malen's volley on the turn was repelled by a miraculous stop from Josep Martinez, and soon afterwards, the Inter goalkeeper's namesake struck again at the other end.
Svilar kept out Thuram's header from a corner in the 79th minute, and even after Lautaro Martinez struck the crossbar on the rebound, Roma could not clear their lines. Manuel Akanji and Yann Bisseck both got a toe to the ball in the melee, and the loose ball was lashed into the bottom-right corner by the Inter captain.
Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini insisted his Roma team will take confidence from the draw, despite blowing its lead.
"I think we played on level terms, both teams could've won at different points," Gasperini said.
"Scoring the goal straight after the restart was an energy booster for a great Inter team, they can always score goals, but we had our chances too.
"This match must give us confidence going forward."
Chivu insisted his half-time team talk would remain private, but whatever it was it clearly worked.
"I will focus on the second half, which in terms of attitude, grit and character was remarkable," Chivu said.
"We were up against a great opponent, we know what Roma represent, and it was an entertaining match.
"I think in the second half, we dragged out a little more than we've seen so far this season. We've got to build on that.
"I repeat, certain things remain between me and the players, but it remains a good point in a difficult place for anyone to play."
Lautaro Javier Martínez
FC Internazionale Milano
