Inter beat Bologna 3-1 as Venezia stun Napoli in Serie A

Inter Milan recovered from a first-half setback to beat Bologna 3-1 in Serie A on Saturday, while Venezia secured a surprise 1-0 victory over Napoli to record their first league win of the season.

Inter’s comeback strengthened their position near the top of the table, offering a response to their disappointing midweek Champions League defeat to Club Brugge. Venezia, meanwhile, made an immediate impact under new head coach Davide Nicola by ending Napoli’s unbeaten run of form in the league campaign.

Inter respond after early Bologna goal

Bologna started confidently at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara and took the lead in the 10th minute through Tommaso Pobega. The midfielder continued to threaten and later struck the crossbar with a powerful effort as the hosts looked to build on their promising start.

Inter gradually worked their way back into the contest and found an equaliser shortly before half-time. Marcus Thuram rose to head home, bringing the visitors level after Bologna had controlled much of the opening period.

Inter could have gone into the break ahead, but Bologna goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski produced an excellent save to deny Francesco Pio Esposito.

The visitors returned for the second half with greater purpose, and their substitutions proved decisive. Carlos Augusto scored within a minute of coming off the bench midway through the half to put Inter in front.

Augusto then turned provider late in the match, setting up fellow substitute Ange-Yoan Bonny to complete the 3-1 victory.

The result gave Inter their sixth win in seven league matches and continued their unbeaten start to the Serie A campaign. They had entered the fixture under pressure following a 4-3 Champions League defeat to Club Brugge.

Inter were also without captain and leading scorer Lautaro Martinez, who was reportedly ruled out for around a month through injury.

Assistant coach Aleksandar Kolarov, speaking to DAZN in place of Cristian Chivu, credited the team's collective quality and stressed the importance of maintaining intensity both on and off the ball.

Inter now turn their attention to their next Champions League fixture against Shakhtar Donetsk as they seek their first points in the competition.

Venezia stun Napoli on Nicola's debut

Venezia produced one of the weekend's biggest surprises by defeating Napoli 1-0, giving new coach Davide Nicola a winning start after his appointment during the week.

The hosts had struggled through their opening matches and entered the fixture without a league point. Nicola, known for his work with teams fighting against relegation, immediately helped change their fortunes.

Nigeria international Akor Adams scored the decisive goal in the 49th minute. He chased a long ball and beat goalkeeper Alex Meret with a strike that took a deflection on its way into the net.

Napoli responded by introducing Rasmus Hojlund and Kevin De Bruyne, who had both been rested. Hojlund quickly threatened, only for Juan Jesus to make an important goal-line intervention.

The Danish forward later won a penalty after being brought down in the area by Matias Moreno. De Bruyne stepped up, but Venezia goalkeeper Filip Stankovic dived low to his right to save the spot-kick.

Stankovic remained central to the hosts' defensive effort in the closing stages, making further saves to deny Stanislav Lobotka and Alisson Santos as Venezia held on.

The defeat extended Napoli's difficult run across competitions and left them facing further questions about their recent performances. Head coach Massimiliano Allegri urged his players to respond through hard work, greater concentration and a stronger collective reaction.

Napoli's next assignment is a Champions League meeting with Bodo/Glimt, giving them an immediate opportunity to try to recover.

For Venezia, the victory offered a timely boost in their fight to climb away from the foot of the table.

Serie A race remains open

Inter's comeback underlined their ability to respond after a difficult European result, while Venezia's win demonstrated how quickly a change in leadership can lift a struggling side.

With several leading teams still due to play, the battle near the top of the Serie A standings remains fluid. Inter will look to carry their domestic momentum into Europe, while Napoli must find a way to halt their slide before it undermines their wider campaign.

SportsLigue