Soccer-Inter suffer title race blow with defeat at Bologna

BOLOGNA, Italy (Reuters) - A howler from Inter Milan's stand-in goalkeeper Ionut Radu cost his side dear as they slipped to a 2-1 defeat at Bologna on Wednesday, with Simone Inzaghi's team missing the chance to go top of Serie A.

The match was originally due to take place in January but was postponed after numerous COVID-19 cases were discovered in the Bologna squad.

Champions Inter knew victory from the game in hand on AC Milan would see them climb back to the Serie A summit and they wasted no time in taking the lead, with Croatian forward Ivan Perisic drilling home inside three minutes.

The home side responded well, however, and got back on level terms in the 28th minute as the in-form Marko Arnautovic glanced a header into the net.

Chances came and went for Inter as they looked to regain their lead before Radu, deputising for captain Samir Handanovic who was absent with a back injury, missed his kick nine minutes from time, allowing Nicola Sansone in to score a simple winner.

The defeat, Inter's first in 12 in all competitions, leaves them on 72 points from 34 matches, two points behind leaders Milan. Bologna stay 13th on 42 points.

(Reporting by Peter Hall; Editing by Toby Davis)