Video: Substitutes' magic turns the tide: Inter escape early setback against Bologna

Inter hold on to top spot without defeat

Inter Milan went behind early and still walked away from the Renato Dall'Ara with a deserved 3-1 win over Bologna on Saturday evening in the seventh round of the Italian league.

The defending champions stay top and unbeaten, and they owe this one to their substitutes.

Bologna's pressing caught the visitors cold. Tommaso Pobega pounced on Juan Miranda's dispossession of Luis Henrique, drove forward and fired the hosts ahead in the 10th minute.

Pobega almost had a second on 40 minutes, only to clatter the crossbar from close range.

Inter levelled a minute before the break. Nicolo Barella swung in the cross and Marcus Thuram headed home on 44 minutes.

Control and a late finish

After the restart Inter took a grip on the game, and Carlos Augusto, on for Federico Dimarco, needed just one touch to make it 2-1 on 69 minutes after Piotr Zielinski delivered the cross.

Petar Sucic should have settled it on 76 minutes. He shot wide from close range.

Late on, the referee chalked off an Ange-Yoan Bonny goal for offside on 82 minutes. A minute later Bonny made amends, Carlos Augusto providing the decisive pass for the third.

That takes Inter to 19 points at the summit. Bologna are stuck on 5, provisionally 14th.

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