Bologna stuns Inter to blow title race wide open
Riccardo Orsolini's spectacular last-gasp overhead kick breathed life into the Scudetto race, as Bologna stunned Serie A leader Inter Milan 1-0 at a crucial time of the season.
The striker's 12th goal of the season was enough to snatch a dramatic victory at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara, where the Nerazzurri missed the chance to regain their three-point cushion over second-place Napoli, which beat Monza on Sunday (AEST).
Simone Inzaghi's Inter was once again looking to pull clear of the Partenopei, but Carlos Augusto sent a free header wide in the fourth minute.
Dan Ndoye, who has scored five goals in Bologna's past four league games, shot narrowly wide at the other end, while Benjamin Dominguez was also marginally off target after the break.
The contest appeared to be heading for a stalemate until stoppage-time when Juan Miranda's long throw was flicked on into the area, and Orsolini's bicycle kick snatched all three points for the hosts.
Suffering a first defeat in 14 matches in all competitions, Inter has now lost three of its past six away league games, as many as in its previous 37.
It leaves the title race wide open, with both Inter and Napoli equal on 71 points at the top of the table, Inter in top spot on goal difference alone.
Inter faces Roma next week while Napoli will host Torino.
Meanwhile, Bologna has now won seven of its past eight home games in Serie A, having prevailed in just three of its previous 12.
Inzaghi urged his Inter players to regain focus after such a disappointing defeat.
"It was a balanced match, with the goalkeepers intervening little," Inzaghi said.
"We played an organised match, with great sacrifice. In the second half, we could have developed some occasions better, and then the final episode penalised us.
"However, we must not think that this defeat could affect our path."
Inter, one of eight teams to have won a league, cup and UEFA Champions League treble, could repeat the feat this season.
"I'm happy with the performance because I thought that against a team like Bologna we could have risked suffering more," Inzaghi added.
"I'm disappointed with the result, but Bologna is a team of absolute value."
Inter's cause was not helped by the absence of top scorer Marcus Thuram, with the forward joining Piotr Zielinski and Denzel Dumfries on the sidelines earlier this week.
"We certainly missed [Dumfries and Thuram], but we are used to it because it is a period in which we never manage to be at full strength," Inzaghi said.
"Tonight, however, we must analyse the defeat, leaving aside the nervousness.
"The team was very disappointed and nervous now, so we will do it later but our championship does not end here."
Thuram, who has scored 14 goals in Serie A for Inter this season, missed this defeat with a thigh injury.
The Frenchman is also a doubt for Thursday's (AEST) Coppa Italia semi-final second leg against rival AC Milan, with the tie finely poised at 1-1.
Both teams go into the match on the back of league defeats after Milan lost 1-0 to Atalanta later on Monday (AEST.
