Inter stage thrilling 3-2 comeback win over Napoli to go top of Serie A

Inter completed an extraordinary comeback from 2-0 down to beat Napoli 3-2 with a Lautaro Martinez double and Marcus Thuram, sealing a true thriller at San Siro.

The top two in each of the last two seasons faced off , though the Nerazzurri had started stronger with victories over Monza and Cagliari. Marcus Thuram was still not fully fit and Djed Spence working his way back from injury, with John Stones and Hakan Calhanoglu rested ahead of the Champions League trip to Real Madrid.

Max Allegri had a rough week, losing at home to Como, then Scott McTominay and Giovane both required surgery , with Alessandro Buongiorno and Luca Marianucci already long-term absentees. Antonio Vergara was preferred to Kevin De Bruyne due to match fitness.

Napoli were unbeaten against Inter since the Supercoppa Italiana Final in January 2024, managing one win and four draws going into this test.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Massimiliano Allegri, Manager of Napoli, gestures during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and SSC Napoli at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on September 05, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) Alex Meret got down to palm an Andy Diouf first-time finish round the base of the near post from the edge of the area in the opening 70 seconds.

Josep Martinez also showed remarkable reflexes to deny Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa from close range on the Alisson Santos roll across from the left, also parrying the Matteo Politano follow-up.

MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Antonio Vergara of Napoli is challenged by Piotr Zielinski of Internazionale during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and SSC Napoli at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on September 05, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) Manuel Akanji deflected the Anguissa first-time strike onto the side-netting, while Yann Bisseck fired just over shrugging off Rafa Marin inside the penalty area.

Rasmus Hojlund didn’t get enough power behind the finish at the back stick from a flicked-on corner, allowing Josep Martinez to make the save, while it was tougher for Meret to deny Lautaro Martinez after good work from Federico Dimarco.

In the last kick of the first half, Dimarco bent a free kick over the wall and smacked it against the crossbar at the near top corner.

MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Alisson Santos of Napoli is challenged by Nicolo Barella of Internazionale during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and SSC Napoli at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on September 05, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) Curtis Jones and Marcus Thuram came on for the second half, while Inter had penalty appeals rejected for potential Lobotka handling offence that bounced off Barella’s chest.

Moments later, Inter made a mess playing out from the back with Barella, so Josep Martinez denied Alisson Santos and Barella charged down the first Politano strike, but the follow-up arrowed through a sea of legs into the net.

MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Matteo Politano of Napoli celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and SSC Napoli at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on September 05, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images) Meret flew to palm a ferocious Piotr Zielinski half-volley out from under the bar, but Napoli doubled their lead in chaotic circumstances.

After Josep Martinez got his glove to another Alisson Santos effort, the clearance didn’t go out of play, so Giovanni Di Lorenzo put it back in for Hojlund’s snooker shot through a sea of legs into the far bottom corner from the edge of the area with the inside of the left boot, catching Inter napping.

MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Rasmus Hojlund of Napoli celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and SSC Napoli at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on September 05, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) The hosts got back into it, as Dimarco volleyed down a Zielinski cross at the by-line for Lautaro Martinez to come sliding in from six yards, anticipating Amir Rrahmani.

Lautaro Martinez couldn’t control another Dimarco assist, while Marcus Thuram was unlucky to see his header bounce off the upright on 73 minutes.

It was only a warning, as Thuram did nod in the equaliser from a Carlos Augusto cross into the near bottom corner, beating debutant Benoit Badiashile in the air. Napoli weren’t happy, as Amir Rrahmani was on the ground in the six-yard box.

MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Marcus Thuram of Internazionale celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and SSC Napoli at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on September 05, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images) The game was wide open, as Thuram first and then David Neres fired over from incredibly promising positions, while Anguissa somehow failed to keep his finish on target when trying to redirect the Lorenzo Lucca wayward volley.

It proved costly, as when Barella’s effort was palmed over the bar, the resulting corner wasn’t cleared effectively, Manuel Akanji prodded it away from Meret for Lautaro Martinez to bundle over the line from a couple of yards.

Inter 3-2 Napoli Politano 50 (N), Hojlund 53 (N), Lautaro Martinez 56, 91 (I), Thuram 82 (I)

05-09-2026 17:00

MatchDay 3

San Siro Stadium (Stadio Giuseppe Meazza)

Inter

Napoli

3 - 2

Player statistic

1st half

35'

Antonio Vergara

2nd half

50'

Matteo Politano

53'

Rasmus Højlund (Assist: Giovanni Di Lorenzo)

Lautaro Martínez (Assist: Federico Dimarco)

56'

Lautaro Martínez

68'

77'

Rafa Marín

Marcus Thuram (Assist: Carlos Augusto)

82'

Lautaro Martínez (Assist: Manuel Akanji)

90+1'

Match statistic

63

Possession %

37

29

Total shots

16

8

Shots on target

7

14

Shots off target

4

7

Blocked shots

5

10

Corners

5

1

Offsides

2

7

Fouls

7

Inter

Napoli

Starting lineups

1

Josep Martínez Goalkeeper

95

Alessandro Bastoni Defender

79'

32

Federico Dimarco Defender

62'

25

Manuel Akanji Defender

8

Petar Sucic Defender

46'

31

Yann Bisseck Defender

23

Nicolò Barella Midfielder

7

Piotr Zielinski Midfielder

72'

17

Andy Diouf Attacker

94

Pio Esposito Attacker

46'

10

Lautaro Martínez Attacker

1

Alex Meret Goalkeeper

13

Amir Rrahmani Defender

22

Giovanni Di Lorenzo Defender

37

Leonardo Spinazzola Defender

16

Rafa Marín Defender

99

Frank Anguissa Midfielder

26

Antonio Vergara Midfielder

62'

68

Stanislav Lobotka Midfielder

79'

27

Alisson Santos Attacker

80'

21

Matteo Politano Attacker

62'

19

Rasmus Højlund Attacker

72'

Substitutes

22

Henrikh Mkhitaryan Midfielder

49

Ivan Provedel Goalkeeper

6

John Stones Defender

28

Benjamin Pavard Defender

11

Luis Henrique Attacker

5

Aleksandar Stankovic Midfielder

12

Raffaele Di Gennaro Goalkeeper

21

Curtis Jones Midfielder

46'

9

Marcus Thuram Attacker

46'

30

Carlos Augusto Midfielder

62'

20

Hakan Calhanoglu Midfielder

72'

14

Ange-Yoan Bonny Defender

79'

14

Nikita Contini Goalkeeper

32

Vanja Milinković-Savić Goalkeeper

70

Noa Lang Attacker

17

Mathías Olivera Defender

2

Costantino Favasuli Midfielder

31

Sam Beukema Defender

11

Kevin De Bruyne Midfielder

62'

7

David Neres Attacker

62'

20

Lorenzo Lucca Attacker

72'

6

Billy Gilmour Midfielder

79'

Benoît Badiashile Defender

80'