Serie A Matchday 5: Roma face Inter in top-of-the-table clash

Wesley spoke after Roma's match against Inter at the Stadio Olimpico in the fifth round of Serie A. The defender acknowledged that Roma faced a difficult test against one of Europe's strongest teams and said the squad had executed their tactical plan effectively. However, he identified a critical problem in the second half. "In the second half we came onto the pitch distracted, we conceded two goals and both we and they could have scored the winning goal," Wesley said. "We have shown we deserve to be in this league position. After the break we must not make the same mistakes again, now we need to rest." Wesley emphasised that Roma had managed to demonstrate they belonged at their current standing in the table, but the lapse in concentration that led to two conceded goals represented a lesson for the team heading into the international break.

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.

Roma and Inter finished 2-2 at the Stadio Olimpico in a match where the hosts dominated the first half before surrendering their lead. Roma went two goals ahead through a Manu Koné double, with Gasperini's team playing at a high level against their visitors. Inter, managed by Chivu, emerged transformed after the interval, with Lautaro Martínez scoring twice to level the match. The Argentine captain struck first to reduce the deficit early in the second half, then sealed the draw with a volley past Mile Svilar despite the goalkeeper's touch. Inter have now come from two goals down for the third consecutive occasion, though this time without securing victory. Roma showed they can compete with the Serie A champions and remain equipped for a strong campaign, though Gasperini's side will rue the manner of the collapse. Donyell Malen saw a clear chance saved by Martínez, while Thuram came close to a late winner for Inter but could not find the breakthrough. The result offers encouragement to both teams—Roma that they can threaten the elite, Inter that their comeback resilience remains intact.