Bologna vs Inter: the bench turns a 1-3 comeback

Earlier this week, Bologna vs Inter was framed by what was said before kick-off. The match itself ended up being about what Inter did after going behind. Tommaso Pobega put Bologna ahead in the 10th minute after only 18 seconds of early danger, but Inter came through 3-1 thanks to a second-half surge and two goals from substitutes.

Inter's changes after the break

Marcus Thuram equalised in the 44th minute with a header from a Nicolò Barella cross, and that changed the feel of the contest before half-time. Thuram's 7.56 rating was the strongest of Inter's starters, while Barella's 7.7 reflected how much of the response ran through midfield.

The decisive edge came from the bench. Carlos Augusto made it 2-1 in the 69th minute after Andy Diouf released Piotr Zieliński down the right, and his 7.39 rating fits the scale of the impact, a goal and an assist in 21 minutes. Ange-Yoan Bonny then scored Inter's third in the 84th minute after a move involving Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Carlos Augusto, with his 7.34 showing how well the late introduction worked.

Bologna's start and the result for Palladino

Bologna's opening goal and the first 18 seconds of pressure made the match look awkward for Inter at the start, and there was enough early threat to suggest a long evening for the visitors. But once Inter settled, the match tilted quickly away from [Raffaele Palladino]'s side.

The defeat was Bologna's first under Palladino. It came after a draw with Torino and a 2-1 away win at Lecce, and it leaves them with a result that felt heavier because it arrived at home against a side that finished the game with the stronger bench and the sharper finishing.

Inter's 3-1 win also fits the pattern of a squad that can change a match without relying on one name alone. Thuram got the equaliser, Barella supplied it, Carlos Augusto delivered the break, and Bonny finished it. The next league test comes with the pressure of a result that kept Inter moving at the top of Serie A.