INTER-ROMA 0-1 | HIGHLIGHTS | Roma Go 18 Unbeaten With Win Over Inter | Serie A 2024/25
INTER vs ROMA
Inter Milan’s dreams of retaining their Serie A crown were dealt a devastating blow on a somber Sunday at the San Siro, where the defending champions succumbed to a 1-0 defeat against a resolute Roma side, a result that exposed the cracks in Inter’s faltering treble ambitions and handed Napoli the opportunity to forge a three-point lead at the summit when they faced Torino later that evening. The loss, Inter’s third in a week across all competitions, cast a long shadow over a campaign that had begun with such promise but was now teetering on the brink of collapse. Just days earlier, Inter had been humbled in the Coppa Italia, crashing out in the semifinals with a 3-0 second-leg defeat to arch-rivals AC Milan, and now, in front of their own supporters, they were outfought and outmaneuvered by a Roma team that played with the confidence of a side unbeaten in their last 18 league matches. The San Siro, typically a fortress of noise and passion, was subdued by the final whistle, the weight of disappointment palpable as Inter’s players trudged off the pitch, their heads bowed and their title hopes hanging by a thread. With a crucial Champions League semi-final first leg against Barcelona looming on Wednesday, Inter’s second-place standing in Serie A—level on 71 points with leaders Napoli—felt like a precarious foothold, while Roma’s victory propelled them to fifth place with 60 points, their resurgence under their new manager a testament to their growing cohesion and tactical discipline.
The match had begun with a flicker of optimism for Inter, who started brightly and seemed determined to shake off the malaise of their recent defeats. The San Siro faithful, ever loyal despite the team’s struggles, roared their encouragement as Inter pressed forward in the opening minutes, their attacking intent epitomized by Davide Frattesi’s early strike. The midfielder latched onto a precise through ball from Nicolò Barella and slotted the ball past Roma’s goalkeeper Mile Svilar, only for the celebrations to be cut short by the linesman’s flag. The offside call, confirmed by VAR, was a bitter blow, and the mood soured further when Inter suffered a significant setback with the injury to key defender Benjamin Pavard. The Frenchman, a linchpin in Inter’s backline, limped off after a collision, his early exit a worrying omen ahead of the Barcelona clash. The loss of Pavard disrupted Inter’s defensive structure, forcing manager Simone Inzaghi to reshuffle his backline and introducing an element of uncertainty that Roma would later exploit. Despite the setback, Inter continued to probe, with Hakan Çalhanoglu nearly capitalizing on a loose ball, only for Svilar to race out of his area and head clear with the kind of bravery that has defined his emergence as Roma’s first-choice goalkeeper. However, Inter’s early momentum began to wane as Roma, buoyed by their recent form, seized control of the midfield and started to dictate the tempo, their high-pressing game stifling Inter’s attempts to build from the back and turning the San Siro into a battleground where the visitors held the upper hand.
Roma’s growing dominance bore fruit in the 22nd minute, when they struck with a goal that showcased their attacking flair and exposed Inter’s defensive vulnerabilities. The move began with Lorenzo Pellegrini, Roma’s captain and creative fulcrum, who drove forward and unleashed a fierce shot from outside the box. The effort was blocked by Inter’s Carlos Augusto, but the ball ricocheted kindly to Matìas Soulè, Roma’s young Argentine winger, who found himself unmarked at the edge of the six-yard box. Soulè, with the composure of a seasoned veteran, took a touch and rifled the ball past Yann Sommer, sending the small pocket of Roma fans in the away end into raptures. The goal was a sucker punch for Inter, who had been warned moments earlier when Manu Koné fired a shot just wide from the edge of the area, a sign of Roma’s growing threat. The visitors, now brimming with confidence, nearly doubled their lead minutes later, as Pellegrini whipped a dangerous cross into the box, only for Bryan Cristante to scuff his close-range effort wide. Roma’s relentless pressure continued, with Angeliño delivering a low ball across the face of goal that Eldor Shomurodov was inches away from tapping in, only for Augusto’s desperate sliding clearance to deny the Uzbek striker. As the first half drew to a close, Inter were visibly rattled, their attacks lacking cohesion and their defense creaking under Roma’s relentless assaults. The halftime whistle brought a temporary reprieve, but the San Siro was cloaked in an uneasy silence, the home fans grappling with the reality that their team was trailing and struggling to find answers.
The second half saw Inter emerge with renewed determination, their desperation to salvage something from the match evident in their increased tempo and physicality. Inzaghi’s halftime team talk appeared to have galvanized the players, who threw themselves into the task of finding an equaliser, their pride wounded by Roma’s first-half dominance. Çalhanoglu, Inter’s midfield metronome, took it upon himself to drive the team forward, drilling a long-range shot that whistled just wide of Svilar’s post, a moment that briefly rekindled the crowd’s belief. Denzel Dumfries, operating as a wing-back, was a constant outlet on the right, and he came close to leveling the score when he met a pinpoint cross from Federico Dimarco with a powerful header, only for Svilar to produce a stunning reflex save that drew gasps from the San Siro. Nicolò Barella, typically Inter’s spark in midfield, also went close, firing a snapshot from the edge of the six-yard box that sailed agonizingly wide. Despite their pressure, Inter’s attacks lacked the cutting edge needed to break down Roma’s well-organized defense, with strikers Lautaro Martínez and Marcus Thuram struggling to find space against the imposing presence of Roma’s center-backs, Gianluca Mancini and Chris Smalling. The frustration was palpable, both on the pitch and in the stands, as Inter’s efforts were met with resolute defending and the occasional time-wasting tactic from Roma, who were content to soak up pressure and hit on the counter.
Roma, for their part, were not content to simply defend their lead, and they carved out opportunities to put the game beyond Inter’s reach. Niccolò Pisilli, a product of Roma’s academy, squandered a golden chance when he blazed a first-time shot wide after being found unmarked in the box, a miss that drew groans from the away fans but relief from the San Siro. Artem Dovbyk, Roma’s Ukrainian striker, also tested Sommer with a low drive that the Swiss goalkeeper parried away, a reminder of Roma’s counter-attacking threat even as they played with a man less in the latter stages due to a tactical substitution. As the clock ticked down, Inter’s desperation grew, but their lack of precision in the final third and Roma’s defensive resilience ensured that the visitors held firm. The final whistle confirmed Roma’s victory, their 18-match unbeaten run in Serie A a testament to their transformation into a formidable force. For Inter, the defeat marked their second consecutive league loss, following a 1-0 reverse to Bologna the previous weekend, and the mood at the San Siro was one of despondency. The fans, who had dared to dream of a treble just weeks earlier, now faced the reality of a season unraveling, with the Champions League clash against Barcelona looming as a daunting test of their character.
The result was a defining moment for both teams, encapsulating their respective trajectories. For Roma, the victory was a statement of intent, their rise to fifth place a reflection of their growing confidence and tactical maturity under their new manager. For Inter, it was a sobering reminder of the challenges they face in defending their title and competing on multiple fronts. As the San Siro emptied, the Inter players lingered on the pitch, their faces etched with disappointment, while the Roma contingent celebrated with their fans, their chants of “Forza Roma” echoing into the Milan night. Napoli, watching from afar, would seize their chance to pull clear at the top, but for Inter, the focus now shifted to Barcelona, where redemption would be sought in the cauldron of the Camp Nou. The road ahead was fraught with uncertainty, but for one night, Roma had claimed the spoils, leaving Inter to confront the fragility of their ambitions.
