Spezia 2-1 Inter: Nerazzurri fall to shock defeat at relegation-threatened side after late drama

Inter Milan crashed to a second consecutive shock away defeat in Serie A as M’Bala Nzola’s late penalty gave relegation-battling Spezia a huge win to punish the profligate visitors. The Nerazzurri's faint Scudetto hopes have almost vanished after Simone Inzaghi's side picked up one point from their last three away league games against Sampdoria, Bologna and Spezia.

Ad A Champions League trip to Porto awaits on Tuesday for the Milan club, which may well have caused a distraction, but the result leaves them 15 points behind leaders Napoli, who have a game in hand, and at risk of surrendering second place to Lazio should the Romans beat Bologna on Saturday. Serie ALautaro and Mkhitaryan secure routine win for Inter05/03/2023 AT 16:43 Daniel Maldini, son of Rossoneri legend Paolo, came off the bench to fire home the opener before Romelu Lukaku and Nzola both scored late penalties in a dramatic conclusion to the game.

It was a massive result for Spezia, being led by new coach Leonardo Semplici for just the second time, as it lifted them six points clear of the relegation zone. Bartolomiej Dragowski saved an early Lautaro Martinez penalty and denied the Argentina international several more times as Inter went into the break with 15 shots but no goals to show for it, while they were almost caught out when Kevin Agudelo’s deflected cross-shot dropped onto the bar.

Inter began the second half on the front foot when Martinez finally beat Dragowski with a header, only for the goal to be ruled out for a Lukaku offside in the build-up. Spezia then scored with their first shot on target when on-loan Milan winger Maldini raced onto an Nzola lay-off to rifle a finish into the bottom corner.