Is one goal in the final minute enough to change a striker’s position in the race for the top scorer award? For Thuram, the goal he scored in the 90th minute gave Inter Milan a 2-1 victory over Fiorentina at home, and raised his tally to 5 goals in Serie A, a figure that places him fifth in the top scorers standings after this match.
What does the 90th-minute goal mean?
The match was goalless in the first half and ended with a last-gasp goal in the final minutes. Thuram did not score from a penalty, but from open play, which increases the value of the goal in the context of the match. The numbers indicate that Inter Milan were the better attacking side, with an expected goals (xG) of 3.4 compared to 0.24 for Fiorentina, yet the scoreline remained narrow until the 90th minute.
Thuram’s goal also earned him the highest rating in the match (8.5), reflecting his role in securing the win for the home side.
Serie A top scorers after this match
- A. Raymondo (Frosinone) — 7 goals
- Gustavo Varela (Monza) — 7 goals
- D. Malen (Roma) — 6 goals
- A. Douvikas (Como) — 5 goals
- M. Thuram (Inter Milan) — 5 goals
- Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan) — 4 goals
- Daniel Maldini (Cagliari) — 4 goals
- Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan) — 4 goals
- Nikola Krstovic (Atalanta) — 4 goals
- S. Adams (Torino) — 3 goals
Thuram shares fourth place with Douvikas on 5 goals each, while Raymondo and Varela lead the list with 7 goals. Interestingly, Inter Milan have two strikers on the list: Thuram with five goals and Lautaro Martinez with four, reflecting the distribution of goals in the team’s attack.
InfoSports numbers
- 5 goals for Thuram in Serie A after his 90th-minute goal.
- 3.4 expected goals for Inter Milan versus 0.24 for Fiorentina, a big difference in attacking efficiency.
- One goal separates Thuram from third place in the top scorers list (Malen with 6).
What next?
Inter Milan face Venezia on Wednesday 28 October, an opportunity for Thuram to continue climbing the top scorers chart. Fiorentina, meanwhile, host Atalanta on Thursday 29 October, a match that could feature Krstovic, one of the top scorers.
The question now: will Thuram manage to overtake Douvikas and Malen in the coming rounds, or will his decisive goals remain crucial for Inter away from the top of the scorers list?
