Inter Milan's Title Defense Begins with Draw Against Genoa

MILAN (AP) — Inter Milan's Serie A title defense got off to a rocky start as they settled for a 2-2 draw against Genoa in their opening match on Saturday. Despite a standout performance from Marcus Thuram, who scored both of Inter's goals, the team could not secure a victory. Thuram's goals came after Genoa's Alessandro Vogliacco had given his team an unexpected lead, marking a challenging start for the defending champions. The match featured two coaches who remained in charge from the previous season, a rarity in a league where 14 teams have appointed new managers. Inter, under Simone Inzaghi, looked strong early on, with both Thuram and Hakan Çalhanoğlu creating opportunities. However, it was Genoa who struck first in the 20th minute when Vogliacco capitalized on a fumbled save by Inter's goalkeeper, Yann Sommer. Thuram equalized shortly after, heading in a cross from Nicolò Barella. Inter was awarded a penalty soon after, but the decision was overturned upon VAR review, as Genoa's Milan Badelj was deemed to have played the ball first. Despite having a goal ruled out for offside and another potential goal by Thuram confirmed on review, Inter seemed poised for victory until a late handball call against Genoa's Bisseck led to a penalty that secured the draw. In another match, Parma's return to Serie A ended in a 1-1 draw against Fiorentina, with Raffaele Palladino making his debut as Fiorentina's coach. The match saw Fiorentina's Marin Pongracic sent off late in the game, complicating their efforts to secure a win.