Inter edge past Venezia 2-0 with late own goals as Chivu admits fortune favoured Nerazzurri

Inter Milan secured a 2-0 away victory against Venezia on Wednesday evening, according to Football Italia, with both goals arriving via own goals from the hosts. The result allowed the Nerazzurri to maintain their position joint top of Serie A alongside Lazio.

Inter manager Cristian Chivu acknowledged his side relied on luck to claim the three points. Speaking after the match, Chivu stated that Inter lacked energy and moved the ball slowly, attributing some difficulty to Venezia's defensive setup. He noted the team was surprised by the opposition's low block and admitted that without the own goals, the outcome could have differed. Chivu suggested he would have considered wholesale changes at the interval, though he praised his players for maintaining belief throughout.

The victory proved especially significant given Inter's recent pattern of late drama. The Nerazzurri had beaten Fiorentina 2-1 the previous weekend with two goals in added time, and this midweek win demonstrated another escape despite a sluggish display. Chivu credited goalkeeper Ivan Provedel, who was making his second consecutive start, with keeping the team in contention whilst their experience and quality ultimately proved decisive.

Several key players remained unavailable for Inter, including Lautaro Martínez, Benjamin Pavard, Curtis Jones, John Stones and Luis Henrique. A notable feature of the contest was the involvement of brothers Filip Stankovic in goal for Venezia and Aleksandar Stankovic in Inter's midfield, both having progressed through the Nerazzurri academy following their father Dejan's career at the club.