Serie A: Inter 2-2 Bologna – San Siro draw helps Napoli

Football Italia

·15 January 2025

Serie A: Inter 2-2 Bologna – San Siro draw helps Napoli

Inter were held to a 2-2 draw at home against a resilient Bologna in Serie A on Wednesday night, as Santiago Castro, Denzel Dumfries, Lautaro Martinez and Emil Holm made for an entertaining game for the neutral in San Siro.

Both coaches made a series of changes to their teams prior to kick-off. Simone Inzaghi was without Yann Bisseck, Hakan Calhanoglu and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, so there were starts for Matteo Darmian, Kristjan Asllani and Piotr Zielinski instead, while leading scorer Marcus Thuram returned to the starting line-up.

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Bologna welcomed Riccardo Orsolini back into the starting XI, while Vincenzo Italiano also handed chances to Nikola Moro, Charalampos Lykogiannis and Nicolo Casale, while Thijs Dallinga was swapped out for goalscorer Castro.

You can see how it unfolded on the Football Italia Liveblog.

Nicolo Casale of Bologna is challenged by Marcus Thuram of FC Internazionale during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Bologna at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on January 15, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

The visitors looked threatening in the early stages: Nikola Moro’s shot from distance required a flying save from Yann Sommer, who was able to tip it onto the post.

Bologna would find the advantage in the 15th minute through Santiago Castro. Moro was involved again, as he tried a shot from the edge of the area following a half-clearance from Alessandro Bastoni, and the Argentine was on hand to help it over the line.

Santiago Castro of Bologna celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Bologna at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on January 15, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Inter would equalise three minutes later, though. Thuram, broke into the area, nudged it to Federico Dimarco, whose shot was saved, but Dumfries was on hand to poke home the rebound from point-blank range.

Inter grew into the half the longer it went on, and dominated in terms of first-half chances.

Simone Inzaghi’s side got themselves in front through captain Martinez in the first minute of stoppage time. Dimarco involved once again; He provided a perfect low cross into the area from the left flank, which the skipper slammed into the roof of the net with his first touch.

The opening exchanges of the second period were very end-to-end. Dumfries and Lautaro both had chances to get their second, Dimarco, too.

It was Bologna who would strike first in the second half, though. Orsolini cut it back from the six yard box for Holm to latch onto. With the help of a big deflection, his powerful effort nestled in the side netting for 2-2.

Emil Holm of Bologna scores his team’s second goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Bologna at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on January 15, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Though Inter required another goal, Inzaghi decided to take off captain Lautaro Martinez and replace him with Mehdi Taremi, who is still looking for his first Serie A goal.

Taremi was just one touch away from finding that all-important goal. Thuram did brilliantly to drive into the area from the right flank before providing an enticing cross into the middle. It just needed a nick, but Taremi, at full stretch, couldn’t quite get there.