Inter Milan miss chance to go top of Serie A after Radu howler gifts Bologna victory

Goalkeeper mistimes clearance and hooks ball towards his own goal to hand advantage to AC Milan in title race

Inter Milan goalkeeper Ionut Radu leaves the pitch after his error contributed to the 2-1 Serie A defeat to Bologna at Renato Dall'Ara Stadium on April 27, 2022. EPA

Bologna's Nicola Sansone jubilates after scoring during the Italian Serie A soccer match Bologna FC vs FC Inter at Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, 27 April 2022. EPA / ELISABETTA BARACCHI

Nicola Sansone celebrates after scoring Bologna's second goal against Inter Milan. Getty

Nicola Sansone celebrates with Bologna teammates after scoring against Inter Milan. Getty

Bologna goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski collects the high ball under pressure from Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez. Getty

Inter Milan striker Edin Dzeko on the ball under pressure from Bologna players. Reuters

Lautaro Martinez attempts to protect the ball against Bologna defender Arthur Theate. AFP

Bologna forward Marko Arnautovic begins to celebrate after scoring the equalising goal against Inter Milan. EPA

Marko Arnautovic heads home the equalising goal for Bologna against Inter Milan. EPA

Bologna supporters cheer, wave flags and set off flares during the Serie A match against Inter Milan. AFP

Inter Milan winger Ivan Perisic celebrates scoring their first goal against Bologna. Reuters

Ivan Perisic shoots to score Inter Milan's opening goal against Bologna. EPA

Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi jumped to the support of goalkeeper Ionut Radu after his incredible mistake led to a 2-1 defeat to Bologna and ensured the defending champions missed the chance to move top of Serie A.

With the score at 1-1 entering the final nine minutes of the match at Renato Dall'Ara, Radu completely mistimed an attempted clearance and hooked the ball towards his own net, allowing Nicola Sansone to tap in a goal which hands the advantage in the title race to AC Milan, who lead their rivals by two points with four matches to play.

The Romanian left the field distraught after his first league match of the season ended in humiliation following an error which could fatally damage Inter's Scudetto defence.

"It was an unfortunate mistake, but these things happen," Inzaghi said. "Radu is an excellent goalkeeper with a bright future ahead of him."

Defeat for Inzaghi's side, who had taken the lead in the third minute through Ivan Perisic before Marko Arnaoutovic levelled midway through the first half, could be crucial to the race for the title as Wednesday's match was Inter's game in hand on their local rivals.

Further pushing the race in Milan's favour is the superior record Stefano Pioli's side have in this season's two league derbies, as head-to-head decides the placings of teams locked on the same points.

"We've got to keep our heads. We've had a tough blow but you saw how Bologna played today, every game is going to be difficult and two points is a gap that we can make up," Inzaghi said.

"We have to keep going with our heads held high because we still have a chance."

Earlier, Fiorentina's hopes of a return to European football were hit after they fell to a 4-0 home hammering at the hands of Udinese.

Vincenzo Italiano's side would have moved into fifth and the division's Europa League spot had they won.

However first-half goals from Pablo Mari – his first in Serie A – and Gerard Deulofeu set up the 12th-placed away side for a thumping victory which was sealed with stoppage-time goals from Walace and Destiny Udogie.

Fiorentina sit seventh and outside the European places after the heavy defeat, two points behind Roma and level with Lazio who hold the Europa Conference League place, as they seek continental competition for the first time since the 2016-17 season.

They stay seventh thanks to a 4-4 draw between Atalanta, in eighth, and Torino which featured four penalties and an own goal.