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Marcus Thuram bags bizarre goal as Inter Milan concedes draw at Parma

MILAN (AP) — Marcus Thuram enjoyed a bittersweet return to the city of his birth as he scored a bizarre goal that even had his famous father shaking his head.

His goal extended Inter Milan's lead to 2-0 by halftime at Parma but the Serie A front-runner couldn't hold it and ended up drawing 2-2 on Saturday.

Inter inched four points clear of second-placed Napoli, which visits Bologna on Monday.

Parma's fourth straight draw moved it four points above the relegation zone.

Inter is in the hunt for a treble — which it achieved in 2010, under Jose Mourinho. The Nerazzurri drew with AC Milan 1-1 in the first leg of their Italian Cup semifinal midweek and play at Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinals on Tuesday.

Despite the intense schedule, coach Simone Inzaghi opted not to rotate his squad and Inter took the lead in the 15th minute thanks to several strokes of fortune.

Lautaro Martinez’s attempt at a one-two was intercepted by a Parma defender but the ricochet came to Federico Dimarco, whose cross was deflected by another Parma player to a completely unmarked Matteo Darmian. And his effort clipped the right post but rolled in.

Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer made two fantastic saves inside the opening 20 minutes before the visitors doubled their lead in even stranger circumstances.

Thuram spectacularly shinned a cross from Henrikh Mkhitaryan but it looped up in the air and goalwards. Pontus Almqvist tried to clear it off the line but the Parma winger kicked it off his own face and in.

Thuram’s father, World Cup winner Lilian Thuram, was watching from the stands and both he and his son looked embarrassed.

Thuram was born in Parma while his father was playing for the team.

It was Thuram’s 14th league goal this season — 17th across all competitions — and a personal record for the France international.

Parma got back into the match on the hour mark when halftime substitute Adrián Bernabé drilled into the bottom right corner from 20 meters for his first goal in Serie A.

Another substitute helped Parma turn the match around completely nine minutes later when Jacob Ondrejka’s effort was deflected past Sommer.

Desperate Monza

Bottom club Monza looks ever more doomed after losing at home to Como 3-1 left it 10 points from safety.

Como moved 10 points above the bottom three.

AC Milan was playing Fiorentina later.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

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