Roma 2-2 Inter: Martínez Scores Twice Against Gasperini's Side

Roma and Inter drew 2-2 at the Stadio Olimpico, and Lautaro Martínez scored both visitors' goals after Manu Koné had put Roma two up before half-time. Gian Piero Gasperini, by all accounts, was smiling as he crossed the pitch to greet the Inter captain.

Asked afterwards what he had said to Martínez, Gasperini answered with a joke about the striker's record against his teams.

«I told him to stop it! He does it to everyone, though. He’s a great champion, everyone thinks very highly of him, even if he makes all of us suffer».

Koné scored in the 6th minute and again in the 37th, the second after a video assistant referee review. That doubled his tally for each of his two seasons at Roma. Martínez replied 51 seconds into the second half and equalised with 11 minutes of normal time left. Alessandro Bastoni hit the woodwork for Inter, and a backheel from Marcus Thuram went narrowly wide.

Gazzetta dello Sport, as cited by Yahoo Sports, puts Martínez's record against Gasperini-coached sides at 17 games: 12 wins, five draws and 11 goals.

The draw ended the perfect starts of both clubs. Roma had won their opening four games. Both now go into the international break level on points.

If Roma play like this against the champions, the 2-2 may say more about their ceiling this season than the two points dropped. That is a reading, not a result: the next fixtures will show whether the high, man-to-man approach holds up.