The Partenopei stunned the home crowd with a quickfire second-half double from Matteo Politano and Rasmus Hojlund. Inter mounted an immediate response through captain Martinez's close-range finish before Marcus Thuram powered home a header to level the scores at 2-2. Martinez then sealed the dramatic turnaround in the 91st minute, making history as the Nerazzurri fought back from two goals down to beat Napoli for the first time in Serie A .
Boss salutes fearless response
Reflecting on his side's never-say-die attitude in an enthralling encounter, the manager was full of praise for the extraordinary character and mentality on display. Speaking after the match, Chivu said: "It was a great game to watch, entertaining, and a fantastic advertisement for Italian football. At 2-2, both teams went toe-to-toe. I saw chances at both ends, and in the end, we're the ones celebrating because we managed to make it 3-2.
"We have to compliment Napoli because they're a strong side, well-coached and filled with match-winners. We could have handled the first goal better, and conceding the second was a consequence of overthinking what went wrong on the opener. But I loved the reaction. The team didn't lose its head and maintained its identity. Pulling it back to 2-1 gave us extra hope while knowing we couldn't take wild risks. Ultimately, our courage was rewarded."
Martinez's double moved him outright third in Inter's all-time Serie A scoring charts with 134 goals, eclipsing several club legends in the process. Meanwhile, Thuram's crucial equaliser represented his 50th goal for the Milan giants across all competitions. The memorable comeback preserved the defending champions' perfect start with three successive league victories, in stark contrast to Max Allegri's Napoli, who suffered back-to-back domestic defeats.
Crucial run tests momentum
The European stage beckons next for Inter with a glamour Champions League opener against Real Madrid in the Spanish capital. Chivu's side quickly return to domestic action to host Udinese on Monday, September 14, before taking on AS Roma away from home five days later. Navigating this gruelling sequence of fixtures unscathed will be essential to keeping their flawless early-season run intact before the international break arrives.
