Strike early, secure the three points

Serie A has become synonymous with dramatic comebacks, in a league where teams play more and more football and the closing minutes offer fresh opportunities to turn results around. Yet Matchday 6 followed a different script. Returning from the international break, several teams chose not to wait: they made fast starts, struck early, and laid the foundations for victory in the opening stages.

Genoa set the trend, with Inter quick to follow. Napoli, Lazio, and Atalanta took the same approach, while Bologna and Torino also scored first before half-time before going on to secure victories. Roma and AC Milan were the exceptions. The Giallorossi missed an early opportunity to break the deadlock against Como, while the Rossoneri did not score until the second half and were unable to hold on to their lead. This time, those who struck first almost always had the final say.

Genoa and Inter: two quick strikes, three points

Genoa kicked off the weekend's trend, needing just 15 minutes to establish a 2-0 lead against Fiorentina. The last time the Grifone had made such a fast start at the Ferraris was on 20 September 2020, when Mattia Destro and Goran Pandev scored in the sixth and ninth minutes against Crotone. This time, Milutin Osmajić and Junior Messias were on target, with the former also providing the assist for his teammate.

It was further evidence of Osmajić's impact. He had already scored three goals in his first five Serie A appearances for Genoa, a start not seen by a Rossoblù player since Antonio Sanabria in the 2018/19 season. The two-goal cushion then allowed De Rossi's side to withstand Fiorentina's fight back and claim a 2-1 victory.

Inter wasted no time in following suit. Against Parma, Sučić struck in the 13th minute and Çalhanoğlu added another five minutes later, before Thuram made it 3-0 in the 31st minute. The Nerazzurri had not scored twice within the opening 20 minutes of a Serie A match since 30 August 2024, when Djimsiti's own goal in the third minute and Barella's strike in the tenth put them ahead against Atalanta. This time, Chivu's side had the game sewn up at 3-0 in just over half an hour.

Napoli and Lazio refuse to wait

Massimiliano Allegri's Napoli took a little longer to find the net against Frosinone, but they had laid the groundwork from the outset. Goals from De Bruyne and Lang between the 29th and 32nd minutes capped an attacking first-half display.

The numbers tell the story of Napoli's dominance: 27 touches in the Frosinone penalty area, 13 shots and three big chances created. All three were season highs for the Azzurri, who had not produced such numbers in the first 45 minutes of any previous round. Their superiority was rewarded before the break and underlined again in the second half, when they added a third to seal a 3-0 win.

Lazio needed just three minutes to break the deadlock against Monza, scoring the fastest goal of the round. Noslin laid the ball off for Nuno Tavares, who unleashed a thunderous long-range strike to score his first goal in Biancoceleste colours after 64 appearances in all competitions.

The opener did nothing to slow the hosts' momentum. In the 23rd minute, they doubled their lead, with Noslin once again providing the assist, this time for Isaksen to curl home with his left foot. Two goals created by the same provider gave Lazio a cushion that, despite Monza's response, helped them secure a 3-1 victory.

Atalanta take the lead in six minutes

Atalanta completed the list of fast starters with an even more emphatic opening in Monday's late fixture. Against Venezia, the Bergamo side needed just six minutes to build a two-goal lead through strikes from Kessie and Krstovic.

Atalanta had not made such a start since 4 April 2019, when Josip Iličić scored twice in the opening six minutes against Bologna. The Nerazzurri then added a third before half-time, with the Montenegrin on target again. It was the first time in the previous year that they had scored at least three goals in the first half of a Serie A match.

Venezia responded after the break, creating several chances and putting the hosts under pressure. Yet is was too late by then to undo the damage caused by Atalanta's blistering start. The 3-1 final score once again rewarded the team that had struck early.

Bologna and Torino get the first move right

Bologna and Torino followed the same pattern, albeit without the explosive starts of the other teams featured this round. Both broke the deadlock in the first half, laying the foundations for victory.

Raffaele Palladino's Bologna opened the scoring in spectacular fashion in the 17th minute, when Riccardo Orsolini struck with an overhead kick to register his first goal of the season. Lecce responded after the break with Amar Fatah, who scored his first Serie A goal, but the Rossoblù regained the lead thanks to Jay Enem, who also opened his account in Italy's top flight.

The 2-1 win gave Bologna their first victory of the season, ending a wait that stretched back to 17 May, when the Rossoblù had beaten Atalanta, then coached by Palladino, 1-0. The early lead alone was not enough this time, but Bologna found the impetus they needed in the second half to secure all three points.

Ignazio Abate's Torino also broke the deadlock before half-time against Udinese, with Daniel Bragança finding the net. His goal secured a small place in Granata history: scoring for the first time in Serie A, the midfielder became the first Portuguese player to score for Torino in the top flight. His strike paved the way for Abate's first home win in charge.

The exceptions: missed chances and leads thrown away

Roma, by contrast, failed to make a fast start count. In the big match against Como, Dybala had an early opportunity to break the deadlock but could not take it. The score remained unchanged at the Sinigaglia, leaving the Giallorossi to settle for a 0-0 draw.

AC Milan had to wait until the 63rd minute to take the lead against Sassuolo, with Rabiot finding the net. Their advantage lasted just five minutes before Odenthal evened the score. The Rossoneri, too, had to settle for a single point.

Cagliari were the exception to the rule in a different sense, having taken the lead through the ever-reliable Maldini. The Rossoblù held out against Juventus for a long spell, helped by a superb performance from Caprile, but Kolo Muani found the equaliser in the 81st minute, snatching away a victory that had seemed within reach.

In a league where late drama can still change everything, Matchday 6 largely favoured the teams that struck before half-time. This time, many games were decided with plenty of time still left on the clock before the 90th minute.