'The comeback kings!' - Lautaro Martinez strikes twice as Inter fight back from 2-0 down to hold Roma in top-of-the-table thriller

The encounter between the only two sides with perfect records began with a poignant moment of silence for Inter icon Sandro Mazzola, who passed away aged 83. Once the action commenced, the Nerazzurri's recurring defensive issues resurfaced almost immediately - marking the fourth consecutive game in which they found themselves facing a two-goal deficit. The early opener arrived when Nahuel Molina nodded Paulo Dybala's cross back across goal, allowing Kone to let the ball bounce before firing a first-time strike through Manuel Akanji's legs from ten yards out.

Roma's dominance continued throughout the first half as Dybala pulled the strings, narrowly missing with a long-range effort. Inter struggled to find their rhythm, though Yann Bisseck forced a smart save from Mile Svilar. The situation grew dire for the visitors when Kone added his second in the 37th minute. The assistant referee initially raised the flag for offside after Gianluca Mancini flicked on Dybala's cross for Kone to finish at the back post, but a VAR review confirmed the France international was behind the line of the ball, allowing the goal to stand.

Inter have made a habit of escaping difficult situations lately, having now trailed 2-0 in four consecutive matches across Serie A and the Champions League - winning two of those prior rescue acts. They needed just sixty seconds of the second half to begin their latest recovery, with Marcus Thuram acting as the architect. The French forward pounced on a loose pass from Bryan Cristante before surging down the left flank on a blistering counter-attack, pulling a low cross back for Martinez to sweep a precise first-time finish into the net from 12 yards.

The goal completely altered the momentum of the game as the reigning champions pinned Roma back. Thuram nearly levelled the scores moments later with a clever back-heel that trickled just wide of the post. Roma, however, remained dangerous on the break. Donyell Malen, who entered the match with six goals in four games, saw a sharp effort parried away by the face of Inter goalkeeper Josep Martinez during a chaotic sequence following a corner kick.

As the pressure mounted, Svilar produced a string of high-quality saves to keep Inter at bay, including a diving stop to deny Andy Diouf. However, the Roma resistance eventually crumbled in the 79th minute. During a sustained period of pressure following a corner, Svilar made an incredible initial save from a Thuram header, with Martinez seeing his follow-up header crash against the underside of the crossbar. The move continued as Yann Bisseck nodded a cross back into the danger zone for Martinez, who controlled the ball on his thigh before smashing a stunning seven-yard volley into the net.

The dramatic equaliser sparked a frantic finale where both sides pushed for a winning goal. Inter looked the more likely to find it, exploiting the space left by an exhausted Roma backline. In the dying stages, Petar Sucic knocked down a long ball from Nicolo Barella into the path of Thuram, who spotted Svilar off his line and tried to loft a finish over the goalkeeper, only to see his effort drill just wide of the open goal.

The draw leaves Roma top of the Serie A table on 13 points, sitting ahead of Inter only on goal difference. Following the upcoming international break, the Giallorossi return to league action with a trip to face Como on October 11, while the Nerazzurri host Parma at San Siro on October 10.