Roma 2-2 Inter: Koné's brace not enough as Lautaro rescues Inter, Serie A title race remains wide open

Roma were held 2-2 by Inter in a crucial Serie A 2026/27 top-of-the-table clash at the Olimpico. The result keeps both clubs level at the summit, but the scoreline only tells part of the story. Roma dominated the first half, racing into a 2-0 lead through a Manu Koné brace, before Inter reacted after the break with two goals from Lautaro Martinez. Roma's man-oriented pressing from the opening minutes forced Inter into repeated mistakes in their own build-up. Koné scored his first goal from close range after a defensive error in the sixth minute. His second arrived in the 36th minute after a VAR review, exposing Manuel Akanji's poor line reading and the structural fragility of Inter's back line. Inter's second-half revival was triggered by coach Cristian Chivu's decision to bypass Roma's press with direct passes toward Marcus Thuram and Lautaro. The equaliser came late through Lautaro's second goal, after Mile Svilar had kept Roma ahead with several outstanding saves. Thuram also missed a late chance to win the match. Roma's physical decline was striking: Leonardo Balerdi and Mario Hermoso both left injured, while Donyell Malen needed to come off but could not, as Roma had exhausted their substitution opportunities. The match underlined Inter's recurring slow starts and Roma's endurance ceiling under Gasperini's intense pressing model. With Lazio potentially joining them, the title race stays wide open.