Inter 5-3 Udinese: Nerazzurri recover from nightmare start in Serie A
Reviewed by Elison · Mon 14 Sep 2026Serie A
InterFULL-TIME
UdineseMonday 14 September 2026 · 20:45
Our score 2-0MissedHot tip Inter to win✓ Won
Introduction
Inter claimed a commanding 5-3 victory over Udinese in Serie A, though the result was far from straightforward. Udinese struck twice in the opening 16 minutes through J. Abankwah and J. Ekkelenkamp to put Inter two goals down before the hosts turned the contest completely on its head. The win reinforces Inter’s status as a force in the league, even if the defensive lapses in the opening stages will provide food for thought for their coaching staff.
How the Game Unfolded
Udinese made a stunning start, scoring twice in the opening 16 minutes. J. Abankwah opened the scoring as early as the ninth minute, converting with an assist from U. Gomez, before J. Ekkelenkamp doubled the visitors’ advantage in the 16th minute, assisted by K. Davis. The scoreline was a shock to the system for Inter, who were suddenly staring at an embarrassing home defeat.
However, the hosts began to reassert themselves and pulled one back in the 26th minute through Carlos Augusto, who finished without the need for a registered assist. The momentum shifted decisively in Inter’s favour when N. Barella drew the side level in the 35th minute, with M. Thuram providing the assist to make it 2-2 before the break. K. Davis picked up a yellow card just before half-time as Udinese’s discipline began to fray alongside their earlier advantage.
Inter took the lead for the first time in the contest just after the restart. M. Thuram turned from provider to scorer in the 57th minute, finishing off an assist from A. Diouf to give the Nerazzurri a 3-2 lead. H. Mkhitaryan was booked for unsportsmanlike conduct shortly afterwards before being substituted off in the 62nd minute alongside J. Stones, who also made way, with Stones replaced by B. Pavard and Mkhitaryan by C. Jones.
Inter continued to press home their advantage. F. Esposito added a fourth in the 67th minute, assisted by P. Zielinski, to put daylight between the sides. Substitute A. Bonny then made an immediate impact, scoring in the 79th minute to make it 5-2 shortly after coming on for Thuram. Udinese were not entirely without a response — substitute I. Gueye pulled a goal back in the 90th minute, assisted by V. Bayo, to make the final scoreline 5-3, though it was little more than a consolation for the visitors.
The Numbers
The statistics paint a picture of total Inter dominance after the early chaos. Inter controlled 66 per cent of possession compared to Udinese’s 34 per cent and completed 591 of their 638 attempted passes — an accuracy rate of 93 per cent. Inter’s attacking threat was relentless, with 27 total shots compared to Udinese’s six, and 12 shots on goal versus five for the visitors. Inter also won ten corner kicks to Udinese’s one, further illustrating the territorial control they exercised across the majority of the match.
Perhaps the most revealing figure is in expected goals. The Udinese goalkeeper was kept extremely busy, registering seven saves, while Inter’s goalkeeper was called into action only twice. Both teams finished with one yellow card each and no red cards.
Conclusion
Inter’s 5-3 victory over Udinese was a tale of two very different halves of football. The opening exchanges were marked by defensive fragility from the hosts, but their response was measured, clinical, and ultimately overwhelming. Five different scorers across the 90 minutes underlined the attacking depth at Inter’s disposal, and despite Udinese’s spirited late consolation, the Nerazzurri were thoroughly deserving winners on the day’s overall performance.
