Serie A: Inter hits two late goals to beat Fiorentina 4-3

Late goals from Romelu Lukaku and Danio D'Ambrosio scripted Inter's comeback win against Fiorentina to begin its Serie A campaign on a high.

Danilo D Ambrosio (L) of FC Internazionale celebrates his goal with his team-mate Alessandro Bastoni (R) during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and ACF Fiorentina

Inter Milan fought back with two goals in the last five minutes as it began the Serie A campaign with a 4-3 win over Fiorentina on Saturday.

Runners-up last season and seen as the main challenger to the dominance of Juventus this term, Inter suffered one of its familiar slumps as it fell 3-2 behind to a Fiorentina side inspired by 37-year-old Franck Ribery.

But an 87th minute equaliser from Romelu Lukaku followed by Danio D'Ambrosio's header two minutes later gave it the points - and possibly spared it one of coach Antonio Conte's infamous dressing-downs after the game.

#InterFiorentina in one word.

Go. #FORZAINTERpic.twitter.com/PKwI40kcbw

— Inter (@Inter_en) September 26, 2020

Inter could not have made a worse start as it gifted Fiorentina the lead in the third minute with a goal worthy of a playground kickabout.

Cristiano Biraghi floated the ball into the area, the Inter defence stopped and waited for an offside flag which never came, and Christian Kouame and Giacomo Bonaventura were left unmarked in the six-metre area.

The two exchanged passes in front of goalkeeper Samir Handanovic and Kouame turned the ball into the net.

 

Inter levelled from a counter-attack on the stroke of halftime when Nicolo Barella burst forward from just inside his first half and found Lautaro Martinez who found the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

Martinez was also involved in Inter's second goal seven minutes after the break when his shot was turned into the net by Fiorentina defender Federico Ceccherini.

But Fiorentina turned the game around with two moments of Ribery inspiration.

WHAT A PASS! Franck Ribéry assist versus Inter Milan tonight was a thing of beauty. Top screen the goal. Bottom screen the movement to drag defenders and the ability to exploit the space!

Visit https://t.co/P5dokRndrC for all things football.pic.twitter.com/knc0MuVJeP

— Football Analysis (@obsessfooty) September 26, 2020

 

 

The Frenchman ran down the left and laid the ball back for Gaetaeno Castrovilli to equalise in the 57th minute and threaded an exquisite ball through the Inter defence for Federico Chiesa to dink over Handanovic six minutes later.

Dusan Vlahovic missed a chance for Fiorentina's fourth in the 80th minute and it proved extremely costly.

Lukaku, Inter's topscorer last season, turned in a cross from debutant Achraf Hakimi in the 87th minute and D'Ambrosio headed in from an Alexis Sanchez cross two minutes later to complete a remarkable comeback.