VENEZIA, Italy, Oct 28 - Inter Milan stayed level on points with leaders Lazio at the top of Serie A after a 2-0 win at Venezia on Wednesday, while AC Milan suffered a damaging 4-2 home defeat by Bologna despite leading at halftime.

Inter began the night under pressure after Lazio's 6-2 rout of Sassuolo on Tuesday moved them three points clear, but Cristian Chivu's team survived several scares before securing all three points.

Venezia thought they had taken the lead when Lion Lauberbach converted from a free-kick rebound, only for VAR to rule the goal out for a marginal offside. The hosts also struck the crossbar before the break and were denied again when Akor Adams raced through and finished clinically, with the assistant's flag raised once more.

Inter finally broke through 10 minutes from time when Venezia defender Matias Moreno deflected Marcus Thuram's low cross into his own net.

The visitors doubled their advantage two minutes later when Redouane Halhal deflected Carlos Augusto's header into his own net, condemning bottom side Venezia to another defeat and leaving them on three points.

AC Milan's four-match run that had yielded 10 points came to an abrupt end against Bologna.

Samuel Mbangula fired the visitors ahead in the eighth minute, but Milan responded through Alphadjo Cisse, whose goals in the 14th and 27th minutes gave the hosts a 2-1 halftime lead.

Bologna turned the match around in a devastating spell after the interval. Davide Bartesaghi's own goal levelled the scores on the hour mark before Mbangula struck again two minutes later to put the visitors in front.

Mbangula completed his hat-trick four minutes from time to seal a memorable victory for Bologna and deepen Milan's misery.

The defeat left Milan fifth on 18 points and gave coach Ruben Amorim plenty to ponder ahead of Saturday's derby against Inter. REUTERS