Torino's late rally sees Inter blow chance
Champion-elect Inter Milan was held to a 2-2 draw at Torino, with the Serie A leader letting slip a two-goal lead and leaving the title race still ticking over with four rounds left.
Inter appeared to be cruising after Marcus Thuram put it in front in the 23rd minute and Yann Bisseck doubled the lead 16 minutes after the break with another header but Torino clawed its way back into the game.
Giovanni Simeone pulled one back with 20 minutes remaining after a nicely crafted build-up and Nikola Vlasic equalised from the penalty spot nine minutes later.
The visitors created early chances with Manuel Akanji heading narrowly wide and Ange Yoan-Bonny's shot forcing goalkeeper Alberto Paleari into a save before the opening goal.
Inter's assist-man Federico Dimarco floated a delightful cross to the back post where Thuram rose unchallenged to squeeze his header past Paleari.
Dimarco was close to netting himself shortly after the break, Paleari palming his shot away, but the Inter wing back registered his 18th assist of the season when Bisseck got on the end of his corner to power a header in off the post.
Simeone started the comeback when he cleverly lifted the ball over onrushing keeper Yann Sommer from Emirhan Ilkhan's pass. The goal saw Torino come to life and their pressure paid off when Carlos Augusto's handball gave it a penalty.
Vlasic made no mistake from the spot and the hosts then withstood a late siege by Inter, with Piotr Zielinski pulling a shot wide in added time, to earn the point which means it is mathematically safe from relegation.
Inter moved to 79 points, 10 ahead of second-placed Napoli, which won 4-0 at Cremonese.
Matteo Darmian, who made his 300th appearance in Serie A, gave his team-mates credit for the way they have been able to dust themselves down and go again this term after losing out to Napoli last season.
"We needed four points before today's game. We wanted to win, but we didn't manage it," he said. "We'll try to do it next week in front of our fans to win the Scudetto.
"Last season ended in the worst possible way, despite still being positive. It was not easy to start again, especially psychologically, but we were good, also thanks to the coach. We've done our best, and we are happy.
"This season, we've proved how strong this group is, also mentally. It was not easy after the previous campaign, but we are great men before anything else. I've been at Inter for six years, and it's normal to have ups and downs.
"We'll celebrate when it is mathematically confirmed, and then we'll have a Coppa Italia Final [against Lazio]."
