Krstovic Late Equaliser Delivers Controversial Draw For Atalanta Against Inter In Serie A

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Inter dropped more points in the Serie A title race as Atalanta earned a late 1-1 draw at San Siro, with substitute Nikola Krstovic scoring a disputed equaliser after a lengthy VAR check, extending Cristian Chivu's side's winless run to three matches in all competitions.

The hosts had already lost momentum the previous weekend, when AC Milan claimed a 1-0 Derby della Madonnina victory, and Inter again failed to close the game out despite leading for over an hour and largely controlling possession and territory against Gian Piero Gasperini's team.

Atalanta's leveller arrived during a tense final spell, when Kamaldeen Sulemana drove a fast counter-attack deep into Inter's half, appeared to push Denzel Dumfries to the ground, then saw an initial effort saved by Yann Sommer before Krstovic reacted quickest to steer in the rebound and spark strong protests from the home players.

Inter's frustration increased as the referee and VAR officials reviewed the incident for several minutes, with the hosts convinced Dumfries had been fouled in the build-up, but the on-field decision ultimately stood, allowing Atalanta to leave with a point that keeps the visitors seventh in the Serie A standings.

Earlier, Inter had gone ahead on 26 minutes when Pio Esposito cut in from the left and drilled a powerful finish beyond Marco Carnesecchi, capitalising on pressure that had already seen Gianluca Scamacca force Sommer into an anxious save at the other end during an open first half.

The Nerazzurri created the clearest chance to extend the advantage just after the hour mark, as Henrikh Mkhitaryan released Marcus Thuram through on goal, but Carnesecchi stayed tall and produced a key one-on-one stop that proved crucial once Atalanta mounted their late surge.

Inter's draw means Chivu's side remain eight points ahead of AC Milan, who play Lazio on Sunday, yet the gap feels less secure given Inter have not won in three consecutive fixtures across competitions, their longest such sequence since a five-match stretch in April 2025 that produced two draws and three defeats.

Despite the late setback, the underlying numbers again highlighted Inter's control, with the hosts finishing with higher expected goals and most major opportunities, while Atalanta relied on improved pressure in the last 20 minutes and more direct counters once substitutes, including Sulemana and Krstovic, entered the match.

Inter ended with 1.58 expected goals compared with Atalanta's 1.12, but wasteful finishing in the final third again proved costly for Chivu's players, who created enough to claim all three points yet instead allowed late pressure and one controversial moment to reshape a match that had appeared under control.