Denzel Dumfries scored a dramatic 95th-minute winner as Inter began their Serie A campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Lecce, with Romelu Lukaku also scoring on his Nerazzurri return.
Lukaku required just 82 seconds to head home the opener on his second Inter debut, but Simone Inzaghi s side looked set to make a stuttering start when Assan Ceesay levelled three minutes after the break.
But substitute Dumfries was on hand to convert from a corner deep into stoppage time as Inter made a winning start to the new campaign.
Having watched champions Milan beat Udinese in their own season-opener early on Saturday, Inter ensured they matched their rivals exploits at the outset of what is likely to be another thrilling title race.
1:22 Romelu Lukaku s goal (1:22) has been the fastest scored in a Serie A seasonal debut game since the one scored by Dusan Basta for Udinese, also against Lecce and exactly 1 minute and 22 seconds since the beginning of the match. Coincidence.
— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo)
Lukaku, who scored 24 Serie A goals as Inter won the Scudetto in 2020-21, wasted little time in getting on the scoresheet on his Nerazzurri return when he nodded home following Matteo Darmian s smart knock-down.
Hakan Calhanoglu then tested Wladimiro Falcone with a dipping strike as Inter pinned Lecce back, but the visitors failed to add a second goal despite bossing the first half.
And they were punished for their wastefulness when Ceesay converted into the bottom-right corner after latching onto Federico Di Francesco s clever pass three minutes after the break.
Falcone made a sharp save from Federico Dimarco s fierce volley as Inter pushed for a winner, with Dumfries going agonisingly close when he headed against the inside of the post with 20 minutes left.
Lukaku was then denied by a reflex stop from Falcone as the Nerazzurri continued to pour players forward, and the hosts resistance was finally broken deep into stoppage time when Dumfries bundled Lautaro Martinez s header across the line to break Lecce hearts.
What does it mean? Another fast start for the Nerazzurri
Inter missed out to rivals Milan in the Serie A title race last season, and will have been aware of the importance of a fast start after several of their biggest rivals strengthened during the transfer window.
Inter s dramatic win means they have now started four consecutive Serie A seasons with a victory. They last had a longer such run when kicking off with a win in five successive campaigns between 1993 and 1997.
Dumfries decisive for Inter
Dumfries sixth Serie A goal was undoubtedly one of his most important, as he raced onto Martinez s flick-on to divert the ball home 92 minutes and 40 seconds after Inter had opened the scoring.
The strike was the first Dumfries has recorded in the competition as a substitute, and will have done no harm to his chances of edging ahead of Darmian in the pecking order at right wing-back.
Lukaku off to a flyer
Lukaku s very first Serie A goal came 60 minutes into his Inter debut against Lecce in August 2019, a 4-0 win for the Nerazzurri in Antonio Conte s first match at the helm, but he was even quicker off the mark against the same opponents this time around.
The Belgian s strike was the fastest scored on matchday one in Serie A since Udinese s Dusan Basta netted after the same amount of time in 2011, also against Lecce.
Key Opta Facts
Inter have won their opening game for the last four seasons in a row, last winning five on the bounce from the start in 1997.
Lecce have lost each of their last six Serie A opening games, conceding at least two goals in each of those games.
Courtesy of Romelu Lukaku, Inter scored the fastest goal (82 seconds) in their opening game of a Serie A season in the last 60 years.
Lecce fielded their youngest starting eleven in a Serie A game (24 years, 315 days) since in 2006 against Chievo (24 years and 59 day).
What s next?
Inter face Spezia in their first home outing of the new campaign on Saturday, while Lecce go to Sassuolo on the same day.
