Serie A Recap: Genoa Draws with Defending Champions Inter

MILAN (AP) — Marcus Thuram’s double was not enough for Inter Milan to start their title defense with a win as a late penalty helped Genoa draw 2-2 in their Serie A opener on Saturday.

Thuram was a revelation in his first season in Italy, scoring 15 goals and providing 14 assists in all competitions. He scored in each half at Genoa, giving Inter the lead after Alessandro Vogliacco’s surprising opener.

However, Genoa were awarded a penalty in stoppage time and Junior Messias converted the rebound after his spot-kick was saved by Yann Sommer.

It was a rare Serie A match involving two coaches who were also their teams’ managers last season. AC Milan are one of 14 teams to have a new manager in the league, with Paulo Fonseca’s first match as manager being a home game against Torino.

Simone Inzaghi’s Inter won the Serie A title last season and were strong from the start in Genoa, with both Thuram and Hakan Çalhanoğlu having good chances to score.

But it was Genoa who took the lead in the 20th minute, with coach Alberto Gilardino forced to rebuild after losing two key scorers, Mateo Retegui and Albert Gudmundsson, and the opening goal came from an unexpected source.

The free kick was headed towards goal and it looked like Sommer had the situation under control, but as he jumped back he lost the ball and it hit the crossbar. Vogliacco reacted quickest and headed it into the goal.

It was the 25-year-old’s first goal in over 140 senior appearances.

Thuram equalised 10 minutes later when he headed the ball into the bottom corner from Nicolò Barella’s cross from the right.

Inter were awarded a penalty moments later, but the referee overturned his decision after viewing the incident on the pitchside monitor because Genoa captain Milan Badelj had got to the ball first and was kicked by Thuram, not the other way around.

The visitors almost took the lead just before the break when Yann Bisseck had a shot blocked, then Lautaro Martinez’s rebound was saved by Genoa keeper Pierluigi Gollini and Federico Dimarco had a shot deflected over the line by Badelj.

Dimarco had a goal disallowed for offside after the break and the flag went up again when Thuram had the ball in the net six minutes from time after a delicious shot over Gollini, but it was ruled offside on VAR review.

Inter looked to be cruising to victory but in injury time half the Genoa bench stood up and called for a handball, and subsequent analysis along the length of the pitch showed that Bisseck had touched the ball with his hand as he attempted to head it clear.

PARMA DRAWS IN EXCHANGE

Parma’s first Serie A match ended in a 1-1 draw at home to Fiorentina, marking Raffaele Palladino’s debut as visiting coach.

Dennis Man opened the scoring for Parma in the 22nd minute, but Cristiano Biraghi equalised in the 75th minute with an angled shot.

Fiorentina were pushing for the three points but their chances were dashed when defender Marin Pongracic was sent off in the 83rd minute for a second yellow card.

Palladino’s previous team, Monza, later played for Empoli.