Defending Serie A champions Inter Milan were knocked off the top of the table on Sunday after a surprising 1-1 draw against struggling Monza. Despite a late equalizer from Denzel Dumfries, Inter’s failure to secure all three points has seen them slip to second place behind Napoli.
Monza took a shocking lead in the 81st minute, with substitute forward Dany Mota heading the ball into the top corner. Inter responded with an 88th-minute equalizer from Dumfries, who tapped in from close range after a low cross from Carlos Augusto. However, it wasn’t enough to prevent the upset.
This draw comes after Inter’s strong start to the season, where they secured wins against Lecce and Atalanta following an opening draw against Genoa. With eight points from four games, Inter now trails Napoli by one point after the reigning champions thrashed Cagliari 4-0 earlier in the day.
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Simone Inzaghi’s side dominated possession and had several chances to take the lead early on. Lautaro Martinez nearly scored in the opening 10 minutes, narrowly missing a header off a perfect cross from Federico Dimarco. Despite controlling the pace and building play from the back, Inter struggled to break through Monza’s solid defense.
Monza, who are winless in their last 13 Serie A games, surprised everyone when Mota nodded home a precise cross from Armando Izzo. Inter’s desperate push in the final minutes saw Dumfries find the back of the net, but the Nerazzurri ran out of time to secure a victory.
This result is a blow for Inter, who now turn their focus to Wednesday’s Champions League clash against Manchester City, followed by the Milan Derby next Sunday.
Monza, currently sitting in 15th with just three points, are still searching for their first win under new coach and former AC Milan defender Alessandro Nesta. Despite their lowly position, they showed resilience against a title contender, proving that anything can happen in Serie A.
