From zero to hero: last season, M’Bala Nzola was subbed off against Inter minutes after coming in because he couldn’t take his earring off. Tonight, he scored the game winning goal against the Nerazzurri.
It was a defeat for Inter away at Spezia in the opening match of Serie A match day 26. The 2-1 loss at the Alberto Picco Stadium is the Nerazzurri’s second consecutive loss in away games in the league and the third away game in a row without a win.
It is not the best record to deal with now that the Champions League is approaching. Simone Inzaghi’s side will play away on Tuesday night against Porto in the second leg of the last 16.
To make things worse for Inter, this has been Spezia’s first home win since they beat Sampdoria on September 17th.
M’Bala Nzola was unquestionably the man of the match. First, he provided the assist for Daniel Maldini’s goal, with the son of Milan legend Paolo Maldini smashing it from the edge of the box into the far bottom corner.
Then, Nzola scored the match winning goal from the penalty spot with just three minutes left to play.
As for Inter, it was a tough night for Lautaro Martinez and Denzel Dumfries.
El Toro missed the penalty that would have allowed Inter to break the deadlock after 14 minutes. It was his sixth mistake in 17 penalties taken since he joined the Nerazzurri while Romelu Lukaku, the designed penalty-taker, scored 17 goals from 17 penalties, while counting the one he took to score to equalise.
Dumfries, who started the match on the bench, earned the penalty that was scored by Lukaku but a few seconds later, committed the foul on Viktor Kovalenko that led to Spezia’s penalty and the subsequent loss.
Player ratings
Spezia (3-5-2): Dragowski (7); Ampadu (6), Caldara (5,5), Nikolaou (6); Amian (6), Agudelo (6,5), Bourabia (6), Zurkowski (5), Gyasi (6); Shomurodov (5), Nzola (8,5).
Substitutes: Maldini (6,5); Ekdal (6); Kovalenko (6); Wisniewski (-).
Inter (3-5-2): Handanovic (6); D’Ambrosio (6,5), Acerbi , Bastoni; Darmian (6), Barella (6), Brozovic, Mkhitaryan (6), Gosens (6); Lukaku (6), Lautaro (4)
Substitutes: Dimarco; Calhanoglu; Dumfries; Dzeko; Carboni.
Andrea Agostinelli | GIFN
