Torino 3-2 Monza: Late Own Goal Rescues Hosts After Vlašić Strike in Entertaining Serie A Clash
Torino secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Monza in their Serie A encounter on Friday evening, a match that swung one way and then the other before a stoppage-time own goal finally settled the contest in the hosts' favour. The game produced five goals, a flurry of substitutions and a tense finish that kept the outcome in doubt until the final moments.
The scoring opened in the 39th minute when Kian Fitz-Jim found the net for Torino, capping a first half in which the hosts had already lost Ardian Ismajli to a 34th-minute yellow card. Monza responded early in the second period, Gustavo Varela levelling in the 47th minute to silence the home crowd. Torino regained the lead on 61 minutes through Rafik Belghali, and when Nikola Vlašić struck in the 72nd minute, the hosts appeared to have the game under control. Monza, however, refused to fold, and deep into stoppage time Nathan Patterson turned the ball into his own net at 90+4' to set up a nervy finale - but Torino held on.
The match was shaped as much by the benches as by the goals. Torino made their first change on 51 minutes, introducing Rolando Mandragora, before a triple substitution on 71 minutes brought on Giovanni Simeone, Alessio Cacciamani and replaced Fitz-Jim, the opening scorer. Belghali, who had put Torino ahead, was withdrawn on 84 minutes. Monza were equally active: Lorenzo Lucchesi and Foe Ondoa came on together on 63 minutes, Dany Mota and Jay Robinson followed on 79 minutes, and Andrea Carboni was introduced on 85 minutes. The only booking of the match was Ismajli's first-half yellow, and no penalties were awarded.
The timing of the goals proved decisive. Varela's equaliser just after the interval briefly put Monza in the ascendancy, but Belghali's response 14 minutes later restored Torino's advantage and Vlašić's strike gave them breathing room. Patterson's own goal arrived too late for Monza to mount a genuine comeback, leaving Torino to claim three crucial points. For anyone following the Torino vs Monza preview, the result will carry weight in the league standings as the season progresses, with both sides showing enough attacking intent to suggest more eventful afternoons ahead.
