MILAN: Inter Milan captain Mauro Icardi can do no right, it seems, and yesterday added a missed a penalty to his woes as his side was beaten 2-1 by Cagliari.
Icardi had had a fantastic start to the season, with six goals in seven matches, but angered the Inter ultras with comments in his autobiography, which the fans called “lies” in a lengthy statement.
The Argentina forward attempted to placate the fans with a statement of his own on social media but he was jeered as he walked out ahead of the match, and was greeted by insulting banners about him in the San Siro.
Inter Vice-President and club legend Javier Zanetti said the club would take action and hinted it could even strip Icardi of the captaincy.
Inter fans even cheered after Icardi sent his penalty woefully wide of the right post in the 26th minute after he had been pushed over by Bruno Alves.
Joao Mario gave Inter the lead 10 minutes after halftime, finding Ivan Perisic and then racing into the box to collect the return pass. Cagliari goalkeeper Marco Storari saved his initial effort but Joao Mario tapped in the rebound.
However, Federico Melchiorri levelled in the 71st and had a hand in the second, five minutes from time, as his deflected cross was turned in by Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic.
Melchiorri has now scored two goals in his only two Serie A matches after a difficult few years that saw him undergo brain surgery and also return from a serious knee injury.
Immobile scored in the seventh minute of stoppage time and with the very last kick of the game after Bologna had taken the lead when Filip Helander, on loan from Verona, connected with a free kick to turn the ball in after 10 minutes.
Lazio reacted with Italy international Immobile hitting the post with a shot after half an hour and then having another effort cleared off the line.
It was an even more one-sided affair after the break with Bologna defending and Lazio trying to find a way back into the match but the visitors’ keeper – Angelo Da Costa – made a sensational reflex save to deny Sergej Milinkovic-Savic from close range.
The Serb then missed another clear chance on the hour, controlling the ball well but firing over the bar from a tight angle as Lazio pushed for an equaliser.
A Milinkovic-Savic cut-back was then turned goalwards by a Bologna defender, but goalline technology showed it had not fully crossed the line when Da Costa once again came to the rescue to palm it away.
The Brazilian keeper was eventually beaten when Immobile converted from the penalty spot at the end of the game to rescue a point for the hosts.
The result leaves Lazio in fourth place on 14 points level with Napoli, who lost 3-1 to AS Roma on Saturday. Juventus are top on 21 after their 2-1 win over Udinese on Saturday.