Inter 5–3 Udinese: Five-Goal Comeback Produces Eight-Goal San Siro Thriller
Meta Description: Inter Milan came from two goals down to beat Udinese 5–3 at San Siro in Serie A 2026/27, with Carlos Augusto, Barella, Thuram, Esposito and Bonny completing a remarkable comeback.
⚽ Inter 5–3 Udinese: A Wild Night at San Siro
Inter Milan produced another spectacular comeback in Serie A, recovering from a two-goal deficit to defeat Udinese 5–3 at San Siro on September 14, 2026.
The visitors stunned the Nerazzurri with two goals inside the opening 16 minutes, but Inter responded with five goals of their own. Carlos Augusto and Nicolò Barella restored parity before halftime, while Marcus Thuram, Francesco Pio Esposito and Ange-Yoan Bonny completed a dominant second-half turnaround.
Idrissa Gueye scored a late consolation for Udinese, bringing the night's total to eight goals.
🔥 Udinese Shock Inter With Fast Start
Udinese arrived at San Siro with an aggressive approach and immediately exposed gaps in the Inter defense.
The breakthrough came in the 9th minute. Unai Gómez delivered a dangerous corner toward the near post, where James Abankwah rose to head the ball beyond Josep Martínez.
Seven minutes later, Udinese doubled the advantage.
Keinan Davis intelligently created the opening for Jürgen Ekkelenkamp, who surprised Martínez with a clever finish. Suddenly, Inter were two goals behind before they had properly settled into the contest.
The early setback, however, triggered an immediate response.
🧨 Carlos Augusto Starts the Comeback
Inter reduced the deficit in the 26th minute through Carlos Augusto.
The Brazilian produced an outstanding left-footed strike from distance, giving goalkeeper Maduka Okoye little chance and putting the hosts back within touching distance.
The goal changed the atmosphere at San Siro.
Inter increased the pressure and began controlling possession in more dangerous areas. Udinese's defensive structure, so effective during the opening quarter-hour, was increasingly forced toward its own penalty area.
🎯 Barella Makes It 2–2 Before Half-Time
Inter's persistence was rewarded again in the 35th minute.
Marcus Thuram helped create the opening before Nicolò Barella finished the move, with his effort taking a deflection on its way into the net.
From 0–2 down, Inter had completely transformed the match.
The teams went into the break level at 2–2, setting the stage for an explosive second half.
Goals Timeline
| Minute | Team | Scorer |
|---|---|---|
| 9' | Udinese | James Abankwah |
| 16' | Udinese | Jürgen Ekkelenkamp |
| 26' | Inter | Carlos Augusto |
| 35' | Inter | Nicolò Barella |
| 57' | Inter | Marcus Thuram |
| 67' | Inter | Francesco Pio Esposito |
| 79' | Inter | Ange-Yoan Bonny |
| 90' | Udinese | Idrissa Gueye |
🚀 Thuram Completes the Turnaround
Inter returned from the interval with a completely different level of intensity.
In the 57th minute, Marcus Thuram put the Nerazzurri ahead for the first time.
Andy Diouf supplied the ball, allowing Thuram to finish first time and make it 3–2.
The French forward was one of the key figures in Inter's comeback, contributing not only with his goal but also with his movement and link-up play. He had already assisted Barella's equaliser before finding the net himself.
🛡️ Inter Keep the Pressure On
Rather than retreat after taking the lead, Inter continued attacking.
Francesco Pio Esposito made it 4–2 in the 67th minute, finishing a move initiated by Piotr Zieliński.
The goal reflected Inter's growing control. Udinese were increasingly unable to deal with the hosts' repeated attacks through central and wide areas.
The visitors' goalkeeper Okoye was called into action several times, helping prevent the scoreline from becoming even more emphatic.
💥 Bonny Makes It Five
The decisive moment arrived in the 79th minute.
Ange-Yoan Bonny completed Inter's five-goal response, finishing a chaotic attack inside the Udinese penalty area.
At 5–2, the comeback was complete.
Inter had turned a nightmare opening into a commanding victory, scoring five unanswered goals between the 26th and 79th minutes.
⚡ Udinese Add One More in Stoppage Time
Udinese refused to finish the night quietly.
In the final moments, Idrissa Gueye pulled one goal back to make it 5–3, but there was no time for another comeback.
The final whistle confirmed an extraordinary eight-goal contest at San Siro.
Udinese had scored twice early and once late, but Inter's five-goal response proved decisive.
🧠 Tactical Analysis
Inter's attacking response
Inter's biggest strength was their ability to react after conceding twice.
Once Carlos Augusto reduced the deficit, the Nerazzurri pushed higher and generated sustained pressure around the Udinese penalty area. Barella's equaliser before halftime was particularly important because it erased the psychological advantage the visitors had created with their rapid start.
After the interval, Inter increased the tempo again.
Thuram's positioning between the lines and his movement around the Udinese defense created problems, while Zieliński helped connect midfield possession with the attacking players.
Udinese's promising opening
Udinese's first-half plan worked exceptionally well for around 25 minutes.
The visitors attacked quickly, used set pieces effectively and exploited spaces behind Inter's defensive structure. Abankwah's header and Ekkelenkamp's clever finish demonstrated the quality of their early execution.
The problem was sustaining that level of pressure.
Once Inter began dominating territory, Udinese struggled to regain control and spent increasing periods defending close to their own box.
📊 Match Statistics
Inter's attacking dominance after the slow start was reflected in the underlying numbers. Sofascore recorded 27 shots for Inter compared with six for Udinese, while the hosts also enjoyed 66% possession and produced a significantly higher expected-goals figure.
| Statistic | Inter | Udinese |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 5 | 3 |
| Possession | 66% | 34% |
| Shots | 27 | 6 |
| Shots on Target | 12 | 5 |
| Expected Goals | 3.11 | 0.90 |
| Corners | 10 | 1 |
| Big Chances | 8 | 3 |
| Passes | 640 | 330 |
The numbers underline the central story of the match: Udinese were extremely efficient early, but Inter eventually overwhelmed them through volume, possession and repeated attacks.
⭐ Player of the Match: Nicolò Barella
Nicolò Barella was one of the defining figures of Inter's comeback.
The midfielder scored the equaliser and helped drive the team forward when the Nerazzurri were still recovering from their disastrous opening.
Sofascore awarded Barella an 8.6 rating, matching Marcus Thuram's mark, while the fan vote also selected Barella as the game's leading performer.
Carlos Augusto also deserves special recognition for his spectacular goal, which provided the initial spark for the comeback.
🏆 What the Result Means
The victory maintained Inter's perfect Serie A start, leaving the Nerazzurri level with Roma on 12 points after four matches. Inter's next league fixture is a major test away to Roma, making the comeback against Udinese particularly significant for their early-season momentum.
For Udinese, the defeat was painful because they had twice held a two-goal advantage against a leading opponent but ultimately left Milan without a point.
Their ability to score three goals at San Siro was encouraging, but the defensive collapse after going 2–0 ahead will be the major concern.
🔚 Final Thoughts
Inter's 5–3 victory over Udinese was far more than another three points.
It was a demonstration of resilience.
The Nerazzurri were two goals down after only 16 minutes, yet instead of allowing the game to drift away, they responded with five goals and completely changed the direction of the contest.
Carlos Augusto started the revival, Barella restored parity, Thuram completed the turnaround, and Esposito and Bonny put the result beyond doubt.
Udinese's late goal merely added another twist to a remarkable evening.
Eight goals, a two-goal comeback and a relentless second-half performance made this one of the most entertaining matches of the early Serie A 2026/27 campaign.