Inter 3-2 Torino: Thuram hat-trick keeps Serie A champions within reach of top spot

Marcus Thuram plundered a hat-trick to propel Inter to a 3-2 victory over 10-man Torino in Saturday’s Serie A clash.

The victory places Inter second in the league standings with 14 points, two behind leaders Napoli.

Visiting defender Guillermo Maripan was given a straight red card after 20 minutes for a late challenge on Thuram.

Inter swiftly made their numerical advantage count, with Thuram heading in from close range five minutes after the sending-off.

Thuram doubled Inter’s lead in the 35th minute with another header from close range. However, Torino pulled one back a minute later, with Duvan Zapata taking advantage of a defensive error to finish from inside the box.

Thuram completed his hat-trick on the hour mark, being in the right place to tap in a rebound after Torino goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic had saved a header.

Torino forward Nikola Vlasic converted a penalty four minutes from time after Hakan Calhanoglu had tripped Adam Masina in the area to tee up a grandstand finish.

However, the visitors were unable to mount a final push to find an equaliser.

2 – Marcus #Thuram is only the second Inter’s player to score two headed goals in the same Serie A match since data are available (from 2004/05), after Mauro Icardi on 19th November 2017 against Atalanta. Elevator.#InterTorino #SerieA pic.twitter.com/MgOMgLXV9S

— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) October 5, 2024

Data Debrief: Three-goal Thuram does Torino damage

Thuram scored his second hat-trick while playing in the top five European Leagues (in all competitions), after his previous one for Borussia Monchengladbach against Oberachern in the German DFB-Pokal in 2022.

In doing so, he became only the third Inter player to score a hat-trick against Torino in Serie A, after Roberto Boninsegna in March 1974 and Edwin Ronald Firmani in December 1958.