Inter move closer to Serie A crown after last-gasp 3-2 win over Juventus in Derby d'Italia
In a pulsating Derby d'Italia at the San Siro on Saturday night ET, Inter edged Juventus 3-2 thanks to a stoppage-time winner from Piotr Zieliński. The result hands the hosts a crucial three points and widens the gap atop the table, while leaving Juventus with fresh questions about discipline and game management in a fixture that often decides seasons.
Drama, controversy and a late twist in inter vs juventus
The match had everything: an early lead, momentum swings, a sending off that changed the shape of the game, a late equaliser and then the heartbreak. Andrea Cambiaso gave Juventus the lead with an open-goal finish, but he made amends by equalising on 32 minutes to level the contest. Just before half-time the game tilted dramatically when Pierre Kalulu received a second yellow card, reducing Juventus to 10 men and handing Inter a numerical advantage heading into the break.
Inter made the extra man count in the second half as Pio Esposito put the hosts back in front. Juventus grafted their way back into contention and Manuel Locatelli produced a superb strike to restore parity with seven minutes remaining, seemingly rescuing a point against the odds. Then, as stoppage time began, Zieliński produced a composed finish to send the San Siro into raptures and ensure Inter left with all three points.
How the result reshapes the title race and club momentum
The win extends Inter’s remarkable run and moves them further from challengers. They sit eight points clear of their city rivals as the season enters its decisive phase, while Juventus drop further adrift and find realistic hopes of a title challenge evaporating. Inter have now won 11 of their last 12 Serie A matches, a form run that underlines their credentials as the side to beat.
Club dynamics also matter. Under Cristian Chivu, Inter have adopted a ruthlessness that combines defensive solidity with attacking potency. The Nerazzurri have kept five clean sheets in nine and scored 25 goals in that stretch, an output that has turned tight games into comfortable wins on several occasions. Stars such as Lautaro Martínez and Federico Dimarco have been central: Martínez remains a leading candidate for the Capocannoniere with a run of goals in recent matches, while Dimarco’s contributions in goals and assists have given Inter greater balance down the left flank.
Lessons for Juventus and what comes next
For Juventus, the defeat exposes several vulnerabilities. Playing a key man down for over 45 minutes in a high-stakes derby proved decisive, and the manner of Kalulu’s dismissal will be debated long after the final whistle. The team’s resilience was evident—Locatelli’s late strike was a product of sustained effort—but moments of indiscipline and the inability to close out critical phases have left them with fewer realistic claims on the title.
Looking forward, Inter will seek to maintain momentum and consistency as they chase silverware, while Juventus must regroup quickly to protect Champions League ambitions and stabilise a campaign that has drifted away from domestic contention. The fixture served as a reminder of how single moments can define big games: a contentious card, a moment of individual brilliance and a last-gasp finish combined to shape the outcome in a match that will be dissected by both camps in the coming days.
On balance, Saturday’s edition of the Derby d'Italia reinforced Inter’s status as the team best placed to dominate the run-in, while Juventus face a period of soul-searching to arrest a slide that could determine their season’s final destination.
