Inter U23 vs Renate Match Recap - Oct 21, 2025

Kamate’s Early Spark, Renate’s Timely Reply: Inter U23 Held as Tensions Tighten in Serie C Promotion Race

The autumn air at U-Power Stadium carried a crispness befitting the tension on the pitch, as Inter U23 and Renate battled to a 1-1 draw on Tuesday, a result that held weight far beyond the single point it delivered. For Inter U23—ambitious, in form, angling for a return to the top three—this was a night to seize momentum. Instead, Renate’s resilience forced recalibration in a season where every margin matters.

Barely six minutes had elapsed when Inter’s youthful verve found its first burst. Kamate Issiaka, a name swiftly imprinting itself in the Nerazzurri faithful’s memory, darted behind the Renate line to latch onto a slick through ball. With Renate’s defenders scrambling, Kamate’s finish was precise and unhesitant, sweeping past the visiting keeper and igniting early hope that Inter U23’s home form would again provide a platform for their Serie C ambitions.

Until that moment, recent weeks had belonged almost entirely to Inter U23. Unbeaten in five league matches, they had built a run on the back of direct attacking play and a discipline rarely seen in a reserve side. Antonio La Gumina’s name was absent from the scoresheet tonight, but his previous flurry of goals—including a two-goal display at Alcione just days earlier—had helped vault Inter into striking distance of the summit. Kamate’s opener looked like the start of another commanding evening.

Renate, meanwhile, arrived in Sesto San Giovanni with their own questions to answer. Mid-table, inconsistent, still searching for a defining performance, the squad showed the edge that had propelled them to a confident 2-0 win over Dolomiti Bellunesi last week. Yet, as the match unfolded, it became clear that for all of Inter’s attacking promise, Renate had their share of resolve.

The visitors steadied after their early setback, with midfielders snapping into tackles and breaking up Inter’s rhythm. Their approach was measured, never frantic, born of a side that has lately made a habit of narrow, fought-for points. As halftime approached, Renate pushed higher. In the 44th minute, the match pivoted. A Renate forward—his name yet unconfirmed in post-match reports—capitalized on a defensive lapse, sweeping home the equalizer. Inter’s back line, so often disciplined, looked momentarily disjointed under pressure. Suddenly, a night that had held the promise of separation from the pack became one where the margins narrowed.

The goal marked a shift. As the teams retreated to the dressing rooms, the mood among the home supporters was more restless murmur than bravado. The second half saw Inter U23 increase the tempo, seeking to restore order. Renate’s goalkeeper was called into action on several occasions, most notably parrying a curling effort from Topalovic—a figure so often involved in decisive moments for the hosts. Renate, too, threatened on the counter, exploiting the spaces left by Inter’s fullbacks as nerves began to fray.

Despite promising exchanges, neither side could find the finishing touch. The match, marked by a distinct lack of disciplinary drama—no red cards, and only the standard flurry of cautions in a contest of this edge—remained finely balanced until the final whistle. The draw was a verdict both frustrating and oddly affirming: Inter U23 proving difficult to beat at home, Renate demonstrating they can weather adversity with composure.

For Inter U23, now perched fourth in the standings with 18 points from 9 matches (5W-3D-1L), the result halts but does not derail progress. They remain within breathing distance of the leading trio, but the draw leaves a sense of opportunity missed, particularly after their recent run of victories. The challenge, as autumn deepens, will be to convert home draws into the kind of wins that define promotion campaigns.

Renate, meanwhile, remain ensconced in mid-table, ninth with 12 points from an even 3-3-3 record. For a side that has oscillated between impressive wins and heavy defeats—recall the humbling at Triestina and the earlier slip against Ospitaletto—tonight’s point is a testament to their grit. With nearly a third of the season navigated, Renate must now find the consistency to transform one-off results into a run that can threaten the playoff spots.

There is little recent head-to-head history between these squads, as Inter’s U23 program is itself a relative newcomer to Serie C. Yet, tonight’s balance—Inter’s flair versus Renate’s pragmatism—may become a motif as both sides plot the coming months.

As the Serie C calendar churns forward, both managers will keenly review this stalemate. For Inter U23, the lessons are immediate: defensively, there is work to be done in moments of transition, and the search for ruthless home form continues. For Renate, there is satisfaction in the fightback, but with Dolomiti Bellunesi and other mid-table rivals pressuring every week, the climb remains steep and the margins unforgiving.

By the time supporters filtered out of U-Power Stadium, it was clear—if promotion is to be won, both Inter U23 and Renate must find more. Tonight, the script was unfinished—each side, in its own fashion, still searching for the punchline.