Inter Milan Tops Serie A After Hard-Fought 2-0 Victory Over Venezia

Inter Milan maintained their position at the summit of the Italian Serie A on Wednesday, securing a hard-fought 2-0 victory against Venezia FC at the Stadio Pierluigi Penzo. Facing a disciplined opposing defense on the island of Sant'Elena in Venice, the visitors endured extensive frustration before two late own goals inside a two-minute window broke the deadlock and delivered three vital points.

The decisive breakthrough arrived in the 80th minute when French forward Marcus Thuram sprinted down the flank and drove a low cross into the penalty area toward substitute Pio Esposito. Venezia defender Moreno attempted an interception with a sliding tackle on the near post, only to inadvertently guide the ball past his own goalkeeper. Just two minutes later, Hakan Calhanoglu whipped in a corner kick that Carlos Augusto headed toward the goalmouth, deflecting off defender Reda Halhal and into the net for a second consecutive own goal.

The triumph elevates Inter to 25 points through their first nine fixtures of the season. According to match reports, this tally sets a new club record for the best start across the opening nine matches of a campaign in the era of three points per win. While one source highlights that the victory placed Inter solely at the peak of the standings, another sports outlet reported that the result brought them level on points with Lazio atop the table. The result also provides momentum ahead of their upcoming derby clash against AC Milan scheduled for Saturday, October 31.

Inter manager Cristian Chivu instituted sweeping squad rotation for the match with an eye toward upcoming domestic and continental commitments. Key starters Nicolo Barella, Calhanoglu, and Manuel Akanji began the match on the substitutes bench, while midfielder Aleksandar Stankovic earned his first start for Inter. The lineup created an intriguing family matchup, as Stankovic went head-to-head against his older brother, Venezia goalkeeper Filip Stankovic. However, the visitors struggled for rhythm and fluidity throughout the opening 45 minutes against a well-drilled opponent.

Venezia manager Davide Nicola organized his team in an effective low defensive block that consistently threatened on quick counterattacks. The hosts appeared to open the scoring in the first half when Denis Lauberbach capitalized on a rebound after Inter goalkeeper Ivan Provedel blocked a deflected free kick from Kike Perez. The celebration was cut short by video assistant review, which ruled Lauberbach offside by a matter of centimeters. Shortly before halftime, Provedel produced a vital reflex save to tip a powerful Lauberbach effort onto the crossbar.

Chivu responded at halftime by making a triple change, introducing Barella, Calhanoglu, and Akanji to inject pace into Inter's possession play. Despite having more of the ball, the league leaders continued to concede high-quality opportunities on counterattacks. Venezia squandered a clear opening in the 66th minute when Gianluca Busio failed to hit the target from close range following a pinpoint cross from Che Adams. Venezia again put the ball into the net in the 72nd minute through Adams after a solo run, but the assistant referee flagged the play for offside.

Unable to convert their scoring opportunities or maintain clean defensive clearances in the closing stages, Venezia left the pitch empty-handed despite a committed display. For the historic Venetian club, which was founded in 1907 and returned to the top flight in 2021, the result leaves them searching for vital points, while Inter escaped the lagoon with a crucial victory despite failing to record an official goal from their own players.