Roma's second-half vulnerability: three goals conceded in early stages of second half this season

Roma's 2–2 draw with Inter at the Olimpico featured two goals each from Koné and Lautaro. The match precedes a three-week break for international fixtures, which will take many Roma players away from the club's Trigoria training ground. The squad will return to training on Monday afternoon at reduced numbers as national team commitments continue.

Roma dominated the first half and built a two-goal lead through Manu Koné's double, but Inter mounted another comeback to earn a 2–2 draw at the Olimpico. The Nerazzurri, holding their third consecutive two-goal deficit, surged after the interval as Lautaro Martínez halved the gap before scoring again to level the match with a volley past Mile Svilar. Roma's performance dipped sharply in the second half as Inter took control of the game. Gasperini's side demonstrated they can compete with Italy's champions and remain equipped for a strong campaign, though there is clear frustration at surrendering a commanding position. Inter's comeback—their third in succession, though this time without victory—highlighted both their resilience and Roma's defensive vulnerability after the break. Martínez produced a crucial save from Donyell Malen, and Thuram came close to a late winner, with his effort coming inches from a third goal.

Manu Koné scored twice in the first half as Roma drew 2-2 with Inter at the Olimpico, a result that keeps both teams level at the top of Serie A on 13 points. Koné's performance in the opening 45 minutes was the dominant feature of a thrilling encounter: he recovered possession relentlessly, drove dangerous counterattacks and positioned himself perfectly to exploit vertical spaces. His two goals came from Paulo Dybala's creativity down the right, with Nahuel Molina's header setting up Koné's first-half brace. The opening goal arrived after 6 minutes—a perfectly-timed first-touch volley that Martinez could not stop. The second came at the 37-minute mark, a precise finish after Gianluca Mancini's soft touch. A lengthy VAR check from Lissone confirmed the goal's validity before the Olimpico erupted. With this performance, Koné entered Roma's history books as only the fifth player ever to score a first-half brace in a Serie A match against Inter at home, joining an exclusive group: Roberto Pruzzo (1980), Ciccio Graziani (1986), Abel Balbo (1995) and Francesco Totti (2013). The display demonstrated Koné's emergence as a complete midfielder—dominant in both defensive interception and lethal in the final third. Inter reorganised under Chivu in the second half and Lautaro Martinez's brace pulled the match level, handing the visitors another comeback. Koné's removal at the 60th minute—replaced by Niccolò Pisilli after an hour played at unsustainable intensity—coincided with Roma's loss of grip on the encounter. The draw extends Roma's drought in home fixtures against Inter, which now stretches back to 2016. Before the international break, the message is clear: Roma are genuine Serie A title contenders, and they have discovered in Koné a dominant force capable of controlling midfield while also proving decisive in front of goal.