MILAN (Reuters) -Inter Milan were handed a shock 2-1 loss at home to Udinese in Serie A despite taking the lead through Denzel Dumfries as the visitors responded with two goals before the break on Sunday.
Inter won their opening game 5-0 at home to Torino but looked well off that form despite opening the scoring in the 17th minute when Dumfries tapped in from a Marcus Thuram pass in the box.
Udinese had already looked dangerous before that and continued to threaten after going behind, equalising 12 minutes later when a Dumfries handball in the area was penalised and Keinan Davis converted from the spot.
The equaliser was no more than Udinese deserved and with Inter looking nervy, the visitors went in front five minutes before the break.
A Davis pass sent Arthur Atta driving towards the danger zone and he steered his shot from the edge of the area into the far corner.
"After the last season, I realised where we could improve and Atta was one with more potential," Udinese manager Kosta Runjaic told DAZN.
"Now he has certainly become more dangerous."
Inter came firing out of the blocks in the second half, with Thuram heading over from a Federico Dimarco cross, and shortly afterwards Dimarco thought he had equalised but the goal was ruled out for an offside in the build-up.
"We have to start the games as we did in the second half," Thuram told Inter TV.
"By playing like this we will be able to overturn unfavourable situations."
Davis then had a chance to double Udinese's lead but after doing all the hard work with a mazy run into the box, the English forward put his shot well wide.
Inter piled on the pressure, desperately seeking a way back into the game, but Udinese held firm and came away with their first away win against Inter since 2017, to move them on to four points.
"In the second half it was much more difficult for us," Runjaic added.
"We retreated into our own half, defending in the trenches with intense focus and a hellish defence."
Under new manager Cristian Chivu, Inter are aiming to reclaim the Scudetto but find themselves already playing catch-up in the standings, with champions Napoli on maximum points after two games alongside Juventus, AS Roma and promoted Cremonese.
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes; Editing by Ken Ferris and Toby Davis)
