For the second Serie A game in a row, Inter came back from 2-0 down to win, this time crushing Udinese 5-3 in a chaotic encounter at San Siro.
The Nerazzurri had a perfect start in Serie A thanks to a comeback from 2-0 down to beat Napoli 3-2, but lost their Champions League opener 2-1 to Real Madrid this week following some costly individual errors.
Cristian Chivu rotated, giving John Stones his first start, but resting Lautaro Martinez, Yann Bisseck and Hakan Calhanoglu, along with not fully fit Federico Dimarco and injured Djed Spence. The Friulani had an injury crisis, missing Oumar Solet, Nicolò Zaniolo, Juan Arizala, Matteo Palma and Jakub Piotrowski, the Poland international undergoing surgery today to correct a benign cardiac arrhythmia.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
Udinese took a surprising early lead, as a corner was taken short and Unai Gomez floated in the cross from the right for the James Abankwah free header, looping back into the top corner from seven yards. It was the former Watford midfielder’s debut Serie A goal.
Marcus Thuram got on the end of a Niccolò Barella ball over the top, but Maduka Okoye made the save on both the header and the follow-up from close range.
However, Inter were visibly sluggish and slow to react for the second Udinese goal. Keinan Davis got down the left and rolled it across, where Jurgen Ekkelenkamp was allowed to tap in at the near post undisturbed.
Thuram had penalty appeals rejected for a tussle with Christian Kabasele, so assistant manager Aleksandar Kolarov was sent off from the touchline for dissent.
Inter did get one back when Carlos Augusto hit a left-foot screamer from 20 yards out into the far bottom corner, just days after finding the net against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.
There’s no stopping that
Carlos Augusto with an incredible strike to pull a goal back for Inter!
Live on TNT Sports & HBO Max pic.twitter.com/P7xGw6xQA4
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 14, 2026
Live on TNT Sports & HBO Max The 2-0 advantage was wiped out in under 10 minutes, as Hassane Kamara was muscled out of possession in midfield, Barella stumbled at first on the Thuram lay-off, but got back on his feet to rifle in the angled drive.
Barella nearly turned it around completely before half-time, his strike acrobatically palmed over the bar by Okoye, then Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s effort charged down on the corner.
After the restart, Okoye flew for a great save to deny Mkhitaryan at the near post from 10 yards, then Kamara was caught napping as Andy Diouf ran onto the Barella ball over the top, sprinted from midfield and pulled back from the by-line for Thuram to sweep in first-time from eight yards. For the second Serie A game in a row, Inter went from 2-0 down to lead 3-2.
Stones was chasing down Davis when he pulled up with an injury and had to come off, but Inter extended their advantage for 4-2 with a well-worked passing move. Curtis Jones and Piotr Zielinski combined to lay it off for Francesco Pio Esposito’s low drive from 12 yards.
Dimarco made his return from a knee injury that forced him to miss the Madrid trip, and participated in the fifth goal. It was a well-worked team move, Dimarco, Esposito and Diouf combining to send Ange-Yoan Bonny clear, the first shot was parried, but the second was not to be denied.
Aleksandar Stankovic came close to a sixth, his free kick taking a deflection going through the wall and clipping the outside of the upright.
Udinese did get another back in added time, Vakoun Bayo chesting down the Sandi Lovric cross for teammate Idrissa Gueye to come sliding in at the back stick.
Inter 5-3 Udinese
Abankwah 9 (U), Ekkelenkamp 16 (U), Carlos Augusto 26 (I), Barella 35 (I), Thuram 57 (I), Pio Esposito 67 (I), Bonny 79 (I), Gueye 91 (U)
Player statistic
| 9′ | James Abankwah
(Assist: Unai Gómez)
|
|||
| 16′ | Jurgen Ekkelenkamp
(Assist: Keinan Davis)
|
|||
| Carlos Augusto | 26′ | |||
| Nicolò Barella
(Assist: Marcus Thuram)
|
35′ | |||
| 45′ | Keinan Davis |
| Marcus Thuram
(Assist: Andy Diouf)
|
57′ | |||
| Henrikh Mkhitaryan |  |
60′ | ||
| Pio Esposito
(Assist: Piotr Zielinski)
|
67′ | |||
| Ange-Yoan Bonny | 79′ | |||
| 90′ |  |
Idrissa Gueye
(Assist: Vakoun Bayo)
|
Match statistic
Inter
Udinese
Starting lineups
Substitutes
