Inter 6 - 1 Bologna

INTER 6-1 BOLOGNA

Goalscorers: 21' Lykogiannis (B), 26' Dzeko (I), 36' Dimarco (I), 42' Lautaro (I), 48' Dimarco (I), 59' Calhanoglu (I) pen., 76' Gosens

INTER (3-5-2): 24 Onana; 37 Skriniar, 15 Acerbi, 95 Bastoni; 2 Dumfries (12 Bellanova 62'), 23 Barella (5 Gagliardini 74'), 20 Calhanoglu (14 Asllani 74'), 22 Mkhitaryan, 32 Dimarco (8 Gosens 62'); 9 Dzeko, 10 Lautaro (77 Brozovic 62'). Substitutes: 1 Handanovic, 21 Cordaz, 6 De Vrij, 11 Correa, 45 Carboni, 46 Zanotti, 47 Fontanarosa. Coach: Simone Inzaghi.

BOLOGNA (4-3-3): 28 Skorupski; 3 Posch, 5 Soumaoro, 26 Lucumi (4 Sosa 46'), 22 Lykogiannis; 30 Schouten, 17 Medel (6 Moro 46'), 19 Ferguson (21 Soriano 62'); 7 Orsolini, 9 Arnautovic (11 Zirkzee 62'), 99 Barrow (55 Vignato 74'). Substitutes: 1 Bardi, 23 Bagnolini, 8 Dominguez, 10 Sansone, 20 Aebischer, 29 De Silvestri, 33 Kasius, 50 Cambiaso. Coach: Thiago Motta.

Booked: Arnautovic (B), Lucumi (B), Lautaro (I), Medel (B), Sosa (B) Added time: 2', 2'

Referee: Colombo. Assistants: Vivenzi, Zingarelli. Fourth official: Sacchi. VAR: Mazzoleni. VAR assistant: Di Martino.

It’s never easy to overcome negativity and think positive, and it’s even harder when you fall a goal behind. However, bouncing back with six goals is a sign that you’ve got a strong mentality and are all rowing in the same direction. Tonight’s match finished 6-1 to Inter, just like it did in the summer of 2021. It’s a vital win, one which will help the Nerazzurri move on from Sunday’s defeat and look forward to their final game of 2022 with confidence. Inzaghi’s men were excellent, with the San Siro crowd – almost 70,000 strong – rising to applaud fantastic finishes from Dzeko and Dimarco. Edin’s equaliser was an instant headline-maker, with the Bosnian unleashing a wonderful right-footed volley from the edge of the box to get Inter back on track. It really did change things for the Nerazzurri, that strike. Inzaghi's men could no longer be contained and surged into a 3-1 lead before the half-time whistle.

Prior to this, it had been a difficult and tense start full of mistakes. Bologna twice came close to taking the lead in the opening ten minutes, first through Barrow and then through Arnautovic. The Nerazzurri just couldn’t get going as they – albeit unluckily – fell behind on the 22-minute mark: Orsolini’s shot from distance seemed destined to fly wide, but it ended up hitting Lykogiannis inadvertently and landing in the net.

However, Thiago Motta’s side didn’t stay in front for long: not even five minutes later, Dzeko came up with the goods, expertly guiding the ball into the far corner and, in the process, sending the crowd into raptures. A brilliant effort that kicked Inter into gear, allowing them to make their first comeback of the season. The Nerazzurri upped the tempo as tempers started to flare, with four yellow cards being handed out in quick succession. And then came Dimarco’s 36th-minute free-kick, a powerful and precise strike that was just too quick for Skorupski to stop, followed by Inter’s third of the evening. Lautaro was the man to get it as he nodded in Calhanoglu’s corner. 3-1 at half-time with Bologna reeling.

The second half kicked off, and the visitors failed to muster a reaction. Instead, it was Inter putting dangerous moves together. After Dzeko had hit the bar with a close-range header, Dimarco bagged his second of the game. On the eve of his 25th birthday, the No.32 received the ball in the area, cut inside onto his left foot and curled a beautiful effort into the far bottom corner to make it 4-1.

Although the game was now out of their reach, Bologna tried to attack the Nerazzurri, who, however, were enjoying a very clinical evening when they advanced up the pitch. In the 57th minute, Dzeko’s attempt at goal game off Sosa’s hand in the box and, after a VAR review, a penalty was awarded. Calhanoglu stepped up and showed composure, sending Skorupski the wrong way to score Inter’s fifth. With the Nerazzurri in such an unassailable lead, Inzaghi turned to his bench, bringing on Bellanova, Gosens, Brozovic, Gagliardini and Asllani. As a result, the tempo of the game inevitably slowed down, but Inter were able to strike again with 76 minutes on the clock: Brozovic threaded a pass through to Dzeko, who dinked it over Skorupski and found Gosens sliding in at the back post. The German did the rest. Finally, Asllani hit the post as Inter came inches away from a seventh.

Lots of goals, lots of chances and a high-quality performance where everyone put a shift in. It was needed to return to winning ways in the league.

LIVE UPDATES

FULL-TIME: INTER 6-1 BOLOGNA

TWO MINUTES ADDED ON

84' Asllani hits the post from outside the area. Inter close to a seventh!

76' GOOOAAAAALLLLLLL! Dzeko dinks it over Skorupski and finds Gosens sliding in at the back post! 6-1!

59' GOALLLLLL! Calhanoglu sends Skorupski the wrong way from the penalty spot!

57' PENALTY TO INTER: Sosa penalised for handball!

55' Arnautovic has a go for Bologna but it's too close to Onana.

48' GOOAAAALLLLLLL! DIMARCO AGAIN!!! The Italian cuts inside and curls one into the far bottom corner with his left foot!

47' Dzeko hits the bar from Dumfries' cross!

46' The second half kicks off!

LIVE UPDATES

HALF-TIME: INTER 3-1 BOLOGNA

TWO MINUTES ADDED ON

45' A fantastic cross from Dimarco, Dzeko so close to meeting it!

42' GOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLL! Calhanoglu's corner is met by Lautaro, who nods home! 3-1!

36' GOOAAAALLLLLL! Dimarco fires home a free-kick with his left foot. Inter lead!

26' GOOAAAALLLLLLL! Dzeko equalises with a fantastic volleyed finish!

22' Bologna take the lead as Orsolini's shot bounces off Lykogiannis and ends in the net.

19' Inter are starting look more dangerous now: Lautaro finds Dzeko, whose attempt is charged down by Lucumi.

16' Calhanoglu is left in a lot of space to shoot from outside the box. Off target.

9' Arnautovic threatens for the visitors but Onana manages to trap the ball between his legs and save.

4' Inter give the ball away and Barrow blasts the ball wide of the far post with his left foot.

1' Away we go at San Siro!

SERIE A | MATCHDAY 14

Tuesday 8 November Napoli 2-0 Empoli Spezia 1-1 Udinese Cremonese 0-0 Milan

Wednesday 9 November Lecce 2-1 Atalanta Sassuolo 1-1 Roma Fiorentina 2-1 Salernitana Inter 6-1 Bologna Torino 2-0 Sampdoria

Thursday 10 November Verona vs. Juventus Lazio vs. Monza

TABLE

*Napoli 38 *Milan 30 Lazio 27 *Inter 27 *Atalanta 27 *Roma 26 Juventus 25 *Udinese 24 *Torino 20 *Fiorentina 19 *Salernitana 17 Bologna 16 *Sassuolo 16 *Empoli 14 Monza 13 *Lecce 12 *Spezia 10 *Cremonese 7 *Sampdoria 6 Hellas Verona 5

*One more match played