The Result Carries Weight
MILAN — Inter Milan midfielder Federico Dimarco celebrated his Serie A MVP award by scoring against Bologna as the Nerazzurri drew their final match of the season three-three on Saturday.
The match held minimal stakes for Inter, who had already secured the league title and the Italian Cup. Bologna, meanwhile, had no pathway to European qualification.
The matchup already has enough history; the job is to keep the reading list shorter than the tension.
Inter coach Cristian Chivu granted extended rest to several players heading to the World Cup — Hakan Calhanoglu, Manuel Akanji, Marcus Thuram and Denzel Dumfries — but captain Lautaro Martínez started, having recently returned from injury and needing additional playing time.
The Moment That Swung It
Dimarco received his award shortly before kickoff and opened the scoring with a stunning twenty-five-yard free kick into the top right corner. Federico Bernardeschi equalized three minutes later, and Bologna took the lead just before halftime through Tommaso Pobega's volley, which deflected twice.
Bologna had dropped half of its home matches throughout the season but looked poised for victory at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara until Inter midfielder Piotr Zieliński turned a cross into his own net early in the second half. However,pio Esposito narrowed the gap in the sixty-fourth minute, converting a rebound after Andy Diouf's effort struck the post. Diouf himself added a goal in the eighty-sixth.
Pedro bidding farewell to Lazio with the winning goal in a two-one comeback victory at home against already-relegated Pisa. The thirty-eight-year-old winger departs Lazio after five years with the capital club. Pedro previously played for Barcelona, Chelsea and Roma, accumulating a trophy collection that includes the World Cup with Spain in 2010 and the European Championship two years later.
The Race Tightens
Lazio players wore a special commemorative patch for his final match. Stefano Moreo headed Pisa in front before Lazio mounted a comeback with two goals in successive minutes from Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Pedro.