Lautaro Martinez rescues Inter in a breathless comeback: Napoli and the pain of letting go

In the 90th minute, the ball seemed to have crossed the byline. Federico Dimarco kept chasing a long pass, saved it inches before the line and pulled it back into the middle. Lautaro Martinez arrived at the right time and slotted the ball home. San Siro erupted. Inter Milan 3-2 Napoli. A match in which the visitors led by two goals, then lost the game in the final 30 minutes. For those who watch closely, this result was not merely about fighting spirit. It was about hidden weaknesses disguised by victory, and about decisions made long before the opening whistle. Before the match, Inter were on a winning streak at home. Napoli had just lost at home to Como, putting Max Allegri under pressure. Two sides finished first and second in Serie A last season, separated by 11 points. Expectation was that Inter would control, while Napoli would sit deep and counter. Yet the first half ended goalless. The turning point came at the start of the second half. Napoli scored twice in three minutes, with Rasmus Hojlund among the scorers. The second goal was caused by a defensive switch-off, as Inter defenders stopped, thinking the ball was going out of play. Wins on the pitch are the result of phone calls made 12 months earlier. Inter signed Curtis Jones from Liverpool in the summer, and brought him on at half-time. He was instrumental in restoring midfield drive, and within three minutes of Napoli’s second goal, Inter had pulled one back. Dimarco saved the ball and set up Lautaro, who scored from close range. Marcus Thuram then headed Inter level. Finally, in the 90th minute, Lautaro bundled in the winner after another Dimarco intervention. This victory shows Inter’s resilience, but also exposes defensive lapses. Napoli threw away a two-goal lead through poor game management. Inter remain top of the table, but deeper problems may emerge when the fixture list becomes congested. Napoli have now lost two consecutive league matches and face serious questions about their ability to respond. Football is never decided by luck. Inter read the game better in the second half—that is why they took three points. Napoli must now read themselves before it is too late.