Visitors score two equalising goals to prevent Inter from securing a victory in a Serie A match.

Nicolas Viola’s late goal secured a 2-2 draw for Cagliari against Inter Milan, frustrating the Serie A leaders in their march towards the title. The result extended Inter’s lead at the top to 14 points over AC Milan, but they can still clinch the Scudetto in their next game. Cagliari, on the other hand, remain in 14th place with 31 points.

Inter started the game strongly, with Marcus Thuram converting Alexis Sanchez’s cross to give them the lead within the first 15 minutes. Nicolo Barella also had a goal disallowed for offside. However, without their top scorer Lautaro Martinez, who was suspended, Inter struggled to create clear-cut chances.

Cagliari fought back in the second half, with Eldor Shomurodov equalizing from a Zito Luvumbo assist. Inter regained the lead through a penalty converted by Hakan Calhanoglu, but Cagliari showed resilience and substitute Viola scored the equalizer after a clever assist from Gianluca Lapadula. Despite having few chances, Cagliari made the most of their opportunities. The draw means that Claudio Ranieri’s side have lost just one of their last eight matches.

Inter, however, remain calm as they are still in a strong position to win the title. With six games left in the season, a victory in their next match against AC Milan would secure the Scudetto. Martinez, who was suspended for the Cagliari game, will be available for selection.

One talking point from the match was the impact of substitutes. Viola, who came off the bench, has scored the most goals as a substitute in Serie A this season. His introduction, along with Lapadula, revitalized Cagliari and helped them secure a valuable point. In contrast, Inter’s second-half changes did not have the desired impact, with Marko Arnautovic being anonymous.

The player of the match was Marcus Thuram, whose movement and football intelligence were on display for his goal. Despite missing Martinez’s cutting edge, Thuram showed that Inter are not solely reliant on one player. He linked up well with Sanchez, although clear-cut chances were hard to come by.

Overall, it was an entertaining match that ended in a draw, frustrating Inter’s title aspirations for now. Cagliari showed their resilience and ability to make the most of their chances. Inter will look to bounce back in their next game against AC Milan, where they have the opportunity to seal the Scudetto.