Roma and Inter Milan draw 2-2 at the Olimpico after braces from Koné and Martínez

First-half dominance by Roma

AS Roma took control of the early exchanges at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday evening, capitalizing on transitional spaces against Inter Milan. French midfielder Manu Koné opened the scoring in the sixth minute, punishing a turnover from the visitors to give the hosts an early lead. Roma continued to threaten on the counter-attack, frequently finding space behind Inter's defensive line. Koné doubled Roma's advantage in the 37th minute, completing his first-half brace and establishing a 2-0 lead before the interval. Roma's defensive setup effectively restricted Inter's forward line during the opening 45 minutes.

Inter's second-half response

Inter Milan altered the dynamic within two minutes of the restart, taking advantage of a lapse in Roma's concentration. Lautaro Martínez scored just 50 seconds into the second half, finishing a passage started by Marcus Thuram to cut the deficit to 2-1. Roma had an opportunity to restore a two-goal cushion when forward Donyell Malen broke through, but his close-range shot struck Inter goalkeeper Josep Martínez in the face. Inter intensified pressure across the midfield as Roma withdrew Koné and lost defender Leonardo Balerdi to muscle cramps. Martínez secured the equalizer in the 79th minute, beating goalkeeper Mile Svilar with a volley from inside the penalty area.

Gasperini on missed chances and early lapse

Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini reflected on the result with mixed emotions, praising his squad's general performance while expressing frustration over the start of the second half. Gasperini pointed out that conceding shortly after the restart had become a recurring issue, noting it was the third time his team had conceded within the opening five minutes of a second half this season. He commended the physical condition of his players against the reigning Italian champions and stressed the need to rotate the full squad after the international break.

“It is a match that should give us satisfaction and awareness for the condition and quality we are showing, we must continue along this line.”

Chivu calls for proactive starts

Inter manager Cristian Chivu addressed his team's habit of falling behind early, as Saturday's fixture marked the fourth time this season Inter trailed by two goals before mounting a comeback. Chivu declined to reveal the specifics of his halftime team talk, stating that what was said in the dressing room remained strictly between him and the players. While he praised the character shown during the second-half recovery, he emphasized that Inter must begin matches with greater intensity rather than relying on reactive rallies.

“We do not need to wait to react, but we have to act from the start, we can play a certain type of match right away.”

League standings impact

The single point gained leaves both Roma and Inter tied at the top of the Serie A table on 13 points after five rounds. Lazio and Como both retain the mathematical opportunity to pull level on points depending on their upcoming round-five fixtures. For Inter, the draw followed a 5-3 comeback victory over Udinese, continuing a run of high-scoring second-half recoveries. Roma prepare for an intensified schedule following the upcoming break, having maintained their position among the league leaders through the opening month.