Inter Milan secured a pulsating 3-2 victory over ten-man Juventus in a chaotic Derby d'Italia at the San Siro on Saturday, with Piotr Zielinski's 90th-minute strike sealing three crucial points. The result extended Inter's lead at the top of Serie A to eight points, dealing a significant blow to Juventus's title aspirations in a match that featured a controversial red card, two dramatic equalisers by the visitors, and a winner that threaded through Manuel Locatelli's legs in the dying moments.
Inter took the lead in the 17th minute through a fortuitous Andrea Cambiaso own goal, but Juventus responded impressively as Cambiaso atoned for his error by equalising in the 26th minute with a well-placed finish assisted by Weston McKennie. The match took a decisive turn shortly before half-time when Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu received a second yellow card in the 42nd minute for a challenge on Alessandro Bastoni, a decision that sparked fierce debate as refereeing experts later suggested there had been no contact and described it as a serious error.
Despite being reduced to ten men, Juventus showed remarkable resilience throughout the second half. Francesco Pio Esposito restored Inter's advantage in the 76th minute with a goal set up by Federico Dimarco, but Juventus refused to capitulate. Manuel Locatelli, assisted once again by McKennie, levelled the score at 2-2 in the 83rd minute, sending the visiting supporters into raptures and raising the prospect of an improbable point from a match that had appeared lost.
The drama reached its peak in the final minute of normal time. Zielinski found space on the edge of the Juventus penalty area and fired a low shot that passed through Locatelli's legs and into the bottom corner, sparking scenes of wild celebration among the Inter faithful at the San Siro. Goalkeeper Yann Sommer also played a crucial role for the hosts, producing several vital saves throughout the contest to keep Inter's slender advantages intact during Juventus's spirited fightbacks.
The victory represents a statement of intent from Simone Inzaghi's side as they seek to defend their Serie A title. With an eight-point cushion at the summit, Inter are firmly in the driving seat heading into the final stretch of the campaign. For Juventus, the defeat compounds a frustrating season in which Thiago Motta's side have repeatedly been undermined by defensive errors and contentious refereeing decisions, with the Kalulu red card adding to a growing list of grievances.
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