Inter edge nearer to claiming Italian championship following stunning fightback win away to Como

Inter Milan has taken a significant step towards claiming the Serie A title, coming from two goals down to secure a thrilling 4-3 victory over Como, thereby extending their lead over Napoli to nine points.

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This dramatic turnaround has left Inter in a commanding position, with six matches remaining in the season, and their chances of winning the title looking increasingly likely.

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Trailing 2-0 in the dying moments of the first half, courtesy of goals from Alex Valle and Nico Paz, Inter's prospects seemed bleak, but they managed to turn the match around with a series of stunning goals.

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Marcus Thuram sparked the comeback, poking home Nicolo Barella's cross in stoppage time, before capitalizing on a mix-up between Como goalkeeper Jean Butez and defender Marc-Oliver Kempf to level the score shortly after the break.

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Denzel Dumfries then bulleted home Hakan Calhanoglu's perfectly-delivered free-kick in the 58th minute, before coolly guiding home Manuel Akanji's knock-down 14 minutes later to complete the turnaround at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia.

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With this victory, Inter has tightened its grip on the top of the table, while Como's first defeat in two months has left them outside the Champions League positions.

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When pressed to declare the title a done deal, Inter midfielder Barella adopted a cautious approach, saying "let's wait a little while", a sentiment echoed by Dumfries, who emphasized the importance of staying focused.

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Dumfries, who has missed a significant portion of the season due to injuries, added that "today was a great win, but every match counts and we have to stay focused", highlighting the team's determination to see out the season.

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Como, meanwhile, battled valiantly to the end, with Lucas Da Cunha's late penalty, awarded for a soft foul on Paz by Ange-Yoan Bonny, nearly being followed up by a last-gasp leveller when Alberto Moreno smashed the crossbar from close range.

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Como coach Cesc Fabregas praised his team's performance, saying "today my team showed me that we're capable of and played with desire and courage", while acknowledging that mistakes had been made, which had been punished by Inter.

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Juventus has taken Como's place in the top four of Italy's top flight, following the latter's disappointing defeat, which came after a superb first half in which Paz had starred with a brilliant 11th goal of the season.

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Como, who have never played European football and were in Italy's third tier just seven years ago, will now look to regroup and push for a return to the top four.

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Napoli's chances of retaining the title, meanwhile, look increasingly slim, following their 1-1 draw at Parma, which has left them nine points adrift of Inter with six matches remaining.

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Scott McTominay's drilled finish on the hour mark had given Napoli a draw, but it now looks almost certain that they will not be able to claim a third league crown in four seasons.

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Parma had taken the lead within 36 seconds, courtesy of Gabriel Strefezza's beautifully curled finish, and Napoli struggled to break down the hosts, who were content to sit deep and soak up the pressure.

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Napoli coach Antonio Conte acknowledged that his team had faced an uphill battle, saying "if you concede a goal after 30 seconds it's inevitable that a match which was already going to be against a deep-lying team was going to become even more like that".

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Conte added that "they rightly put up the barricades and tried to hit us on the counter… in the end I can't really criticise the team for their desire and commitment", praising his team's effort despite the disappointing result.

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Parma's draw has left them level on 36 points with Genoa, who took a significant step towards safety with a 2-1 win over Sassuolo in the day's early fixture.

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Genoa's victory, which came courtesy of Caleb Ekuban's late winner, has moved them nine points away from the relegation zone in 13th, and was achieved despite a tumultuous match that saw both teams reduced to 10 men for the second half.