Torino Beat Monza 3-2 as Fitz-Jim, Belghali and Vlašić Secure Third Straight Serie A Win Despite Late Scare

TURIN, Italy, October 23, 2026: Torino continued their Serie A revival with a 3-2 victory over Monza at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino on Friday, securing a third consecutive league win and moving temporarily into seventh place. Kian Fitz-Jim opened the scoring in the 39th minute before Gustavo Varela equalized shortly after halftime. Rafik Belghali restored Torino’s lead in the 61st minute, and Nikola Vlašić added a third in the 72nd. Nathan Patterson’s stoppage-time own goal gave Monza a late lifeline, but Ignazio Abate’s side protected their advantage to collect three more points.

The victory carried added significance because Monza had eliminated Torino from the Coppa Italia at the same stadium in September. Torino also produced the stronger attacking statistics, recording 16 shots to Monza’s seven and seven efforts on target to three, despite having slightly less possession. Their winning streak has lifted them from the uncertainty of an inconsistent opening month to 13 points after eight games. For former Torino coach Ivan Jurić, the defeat interrupted Monza’s recovery following their emphatic 4-0 victory over Cagliari and highlighted how defensive errors can undermine an otherwise competitive performance.

Torino vs Monza: Serie A Matchday 8 Result and Match Details

Torino hosted Monza in the opening fixture of Serie A Matchday 8. The contest brought together two teams that had recorded convincing victories in the previous round.

Torino had beaten Parma 3-0 away from home, while Monza had dismantled Cagliari 4-0.

Both therefore arrived with reasons for optimism, but Torino produced the greater volume of attacking opportunities and converted three of them into goals.

The result was particularly welcome for Torino after an opening period in which their performances had been inconsistent.

Abate’s team began the season with a home defeat against AC Milan. The Sports Encounter examined that result alongside Monza’s 4-1 loss to Inter in its Serie A opening-weekend analysis.

Both clubs have since demonstrated improvement, although Friday’s result suggests Torino currently have greater momentum.

Fitz-Jim Punishes Monza Error to Score His First Serie A Goal

Kian Fitz-Jim produced the opening breakthrough after a first half that had featured opportunities at both ends.

Monza threatened early through Dany Mota, while Torino looked dangerous whenever Giovanni Simeone created openings around the visitors’ defensive line.

The hosts gradually increased their pressure.

Rolando Mandragora attempted an early shot from distance, and Ardian Ismajli threatened from a set piece as Torino began establishing territory in Monza’s half.

The decisive opening came in the 39th minute.

Monza midfielder Manga Foe Ondoa made an error while attempting to move the ball away from danger. Simeone recovered possession and supplied Fitz-Jim, who advanced into the penalty area before beating Noel Törnqvist with his left foot.

It was Fitz-Jim’s first Serie A goal and his first goal for Torino.

The finish rewarded Abate’s decision to include the former Ajax midfielder in the starting lineup in place of Daniel Bragança.

However, the goal also exposed a problem in Monza’s buildup.

Trying to construct attacks from defensive areas can create opportunities when the opponent presses aggressively. In this instance, Ondoa’s mistake gave Simeone an immediate opportunity to turn a transition into a scoring chance.

Fitz-Jim completed the move without allowing Monza time to recover their defensive positions.

The visitors reached halftime trailing 1-0.

There was also a disputed incident shortly before the interval, when Ricardo Mangas went down inside Torino’s penalty area following contact with Belghali.

The referee allowed play to continue, and the decision stood following VAR consideration.

The moment added frustration for Monza, who had conceded through an avoidable error and were unable to secure an equalizer before the break.

Gustavo Varela Equalizes Two Minutes After Halftime

Monza needed an immediate response after the interval.

Varela delivered one in the 47th minute.

His equalizer erased Fitz-Jim’s first-half advantage and restored the score to 1-1.

For Torino, the goal changed the situation considerably.

The home side had enjoyed the better of the first half and appeared positioned to control the contest after taking the lead.

Instead, they had to start again against a Monza team whose attacking confidence had grown during the previous week.

Varela had scored twice in Monza’s 4-0 victory over Cagliari on October 19.

His goal in Turin continued an impressive start to the 2026-27 campaign.

According to the league’s pre-match statistics, Varela had six goals from the opening seven rounds. Friday’s equalizer raised his league total to seven, one short of Andrea Colpani’s Monza single-season Serie A record of eight, established in 2023-24.

That milestone deserves attention because Monza have returned to the top division after promotion and require reliable attacking contributions to remain competitive.

Varela has provided those goals, but the team’s defensive vulnerabilities have prevented his contributions from consistently producing results.

Belghali Restores Torino’s Lead Before Vlašić Makes It 3-1

Torino’s response to the equalizer was important.

Rather than allowing Monza to build sustained momentum, Abate’s players continued searching for attacking opportunities.

Rafik Belghali restored their advantage in the 61st minute.

The goal made it 2-1 and rewarded Torino’s willingness to attack through different areas of the pitch.

Belghali’s role on the flank has become important to the team’s ability to create width and support attacking transitions.

Torino’s starting setup featured Ismajli, Saúl Coco and Pietro Comuzzo in defense, with Belghali and Alessio Cacciamani providing width outside the central midfielders.

This arrangement gave the hosts opportunities to move the ball wide while retaining central passing options through Fitz-Jim, Mandragora and Vlašić.

The 61st-minute goal demonstrated the attacking value of involving a wide player rather than depending exclusively on the two forwards.

Nikola Vlašić then extended Torino’s lead in the 72nd minute.

His goal appeared to give the hosts sufficient breathing room to complete the victory without further difficulty.

With 18 minutes of normal time remaining, Torino led 3-1.

It was another significant attacking contribution from a midfielder, following Fitz-Jim’s opener and Belghali’s goal.

The distribution of scorers was encouraging for Abate because Torino had already relied heavily on Giovanni Simeone’s finishing against Parma.

Simeone scored twice in that 3-0 victory, but against Monza he contributed through his involvement in buildup play, including the assist for Fitz-Jim’s opening goal.

Torino therefore secured goals from three different players while receiving support from their established attacking options.

Torino vs Monza: Complete Goal Timeline

The sequence shows why Torino’s response after conceding the equalizer was central to the outcome.

Belghali and Vlašić scored within 11 minutes of each other, transforming a level contest into a two-goal advantage.

Those goals eventually proved necessary because the hosts failed to finish the match with that advantage intact.

Patterson’s 94th-Minute Own Goal Gives Torino a Late Scare

With Torino leading 3-1, the closing minutes appeared manageable.

Abate had introduced Nathan Patterson during the second half, replacing Cacciamani as part of the changes intended to maintain the team’s structure.

But the substitute became involved in the match’s final goal.

Patterson inadvertently put the ball into his own net in the fourth minute of stoppage time, reducing Torino’s lead to 3-2.

The own goal meant Monza suddenly had a chance to salvage a draw despite having spent much of the second half behind.

Torino protected the narrow advantage through the remaining moments and secured the victory.

The incident should be assessed carefully.

An own goal is not automatically evidence that the player involved performed poorly throughout his appearance. Individual defensive situations can develop quickly, and the exact mechanics of the contact matter.

What can be established is that Torino conceded a second goal after building a 3-1 advantage, leaving less room for error than their earlier attacking control should have required.

For Abate, that is the principal concern arising from an otherwise productive night.

His side created more chances, scored through three different players and moved higher in the league standings.

Yet the final moments demonstrated how quickly a comfortable scoreline can become uncomfortable.

Torino vs Monza Statistics: Why Torino Deserved the Win

The match statistics support Torino’s superiority in attacking production.

Torino recorded 16 shots compared with Monza’s seven.

The home side also registered seven shots on target, more than twice Monza’s three.

Interestingly, Monza finished with slightly more possession.

Jurić’s team held 51% of the ball compared with Torino’s 49%, but that marginal advantage did not translate into comparable attacking volume.

Torino 3-2 Monza: Full Team Statistics

Source: Full-time match-statistics panel supplied to The Sports Encounter for October 23, 2026. Possession and pass accuracy are rounded figures displayed by the match-data provider.

The most meaningful difference is in shots.

Torino attempted nine more shots than Monza and registered four more on target.

That gave Abate’s team more scoring opportunities despite controlling the ball for a slightly smaller share of the match.

Monza’s passing accuracy was two percentage points higher, but pass completion alone does not establish attacking effectiveness.

The result offers a useful example of why possession figures should be interpreted alongside shot production, attacking locations and the quality of opportunities.

Torino did more with less possession, producing more than twice the number of attempts.

The Hidden Statistic: Torino Generated 2.29 Times as Many Shots

Torino’s attacking advantage becomes clearer when the shooting numbers are compared directly.

The hosts attempted 16 shots against seven for Monza.

That represents approximately 2.29 Torino attempts for every Monza attempt.

The advantage was almost identical for efforts on target.

Torino’s seven attempts on target compared with Monza’s three produce a ratio of 2.33 to one.

Those numbers suggest that the home side’s stronger performance did not depend solely on a few unusually accurate finishes.

Torino created both greater shooting volume and more shots requiring the opposition goalkeeper to intervene.

TSE Statistical Analysis: Shot Production and Conversion

TSE calculations: Shot accuracy equals shots on target divided by total shots. Torino: 7/16 = 43.8%; Monza: 3/7 = 42.9%. Goals per team shot excludes the own goal credited to Monza because Patterson’s defensive contact was not a Monza shot. Torino: 3/16 = 18.8%; Monza: 1/7 = 14.3%. Ratios are rounded.

The distinction between credited goals and actual attacking finishes is especially important in this match.

Monza received credit for two goals on the scoreboard, but one was scored by an opposing player.

Varela supplied Monza’s only goal through a finish by a Monza player.

Counting Patterson’s own goal as a successful Monza shooting attempt would distort the comparison.

The corrected calculation demonstrates that Torino held advantages in both shot production and scoring efficiency from shots taken by their own players.

These figures do not establish expected goals, chance quality or defensive pressure. They describe what the available full-time shot data can reliably measure.

Third Straight Victory: Abate’s Torino Are Building Genuine Momentum

Torino’s latest success continued a positive sequence that had developed after a difficult beginning to the campaign.

Following early setbacks, Abate’s side began showing greater defensive organization and resilience.

They drew 0-0 with Bologna before defeating Udinese 2-1 and Parma 3-0.

Friday’s 3-2 victory over Monza extended the winning run to three league matches.

It also represented Torino’s fourth league victory of the season.

That is a meaningful development for a team attempting to move away from the middle of the table and challenge for European qualification.

Before the game, Abate had emphasized the importance of building unity and commitment within the squad.

Speaking to the Italian media, he said the team was developing what he described as “a strong sense of belonging,” translated from his original Italian remarks.

His comments reflected a broader effort to improve the side’s mentality after inconsistent performances.

Friday supplied another result supporting that progress, although the late concession will give him something to address before Torino’s next fixture.

The Sports Encounter previously examined Abate’s early work in its report on Torino’s 2-1 comeback victory over Fiorentina.

That result saw Rolando Mandragora score against his former club before Ché Adams completed the turnaround.

The victory in Florence was Abate’s first Serie A win as Torino head coach.

Seven weeks later, Torino have established a stronger pattern of results.

Selected Torino Results During Their Recovery

Selected results for context, not a complete fixture-by-fixture season record. Torino’s intervening 2-1 victory over Udinese also contributed to the three-match winning streak.

The progress is encouraging, but the latest result also illustrates the work remaining.

Torino have demonstrated the ability to recover after conceding and to win matches through different scorers.

Maintaining that progress will require more consistent defensive concentration, particularly when protecting leads late in games.

Monza’s Defensive Problems Return After Four-Goal Win Against Cagliari

Monza arrived in Turin after one of their most convincing victories of the season.

Jurić’s side had beaten Cagliari 4-0 on October 19, with Varela scoring twice.

That performance followed an encouraging spell in which Monza won two of their previous three league matches.

Friday demonstrated that their progress remains incomplete.

Monza conceded the first goal following a mistake in possession, equalized immediately after halftime and then allowed Torino to score twice within 11 minutes.

Their late second goal came from a Torino own goal rather than an attacking finish by one of their own players.

The pattern reflected vulnerabilities that have already appeared during the season.

Against Lecce in September, Monza conceded three goals inside the opening 21 minutes before staging a recovery that ultimately fell short.

The Sports Encounter reconstructed that contest in its analysis of Lecce’s 3-2 victory over Monza.

The comparison is revealing.

Against Lecce, Monza were forced to chase after a disastrous opening.

Against Torino, they remained competitive for a significant portion of the match but were unable to protect parity after Varela’s equalizer.

Both games ended 3-2, but their underlying stories differed.

The recurring concern is Monza’s ability to prevent multiple goals when opponents seize attacking momentum.

Against Torino, that defensive weakness gave Abate’s team the opportunity to establish the two-goal advantage that ultimately decided the match.

Torino Gain Revenge for September’s Coppa Italia Defeat

Friday’s fixture carried a personal and competitive dimension for both coaches.

Ivan Jurić managed Torino between 2021 and 2024, recording 122 competitive matches in charge of the club.

He returned to Turin this season as Monza’s coach and had already secured a victory against his former side.

On September 1, Monza defeated Torino 1-0 in the Coppa Italia.

Dany Mota scored the winning goal during first-half stoppage time, giving Jurić an important cup victory over Abate’s team.

The result was especially significant because it represented Monza’s first competitive away victory against Torino.

Official confirmation is available in Torino FC’s report on the September Coppa Italia defeat.

Friday offered the home side a chance to respond.

Torino took it, extending an unbeaten Serie A record against Monza while preventing the visitors from repeating their cup success.

Torino vs Monza: Selected Historical Meetings

Selected home meetings, not the complete head-to-head archive. Historical information is based on the official Serie A and Torino FC match records.

Before Friday, Torino had won three and drawn three of their six Serie A meetings with Monza.

The latest victory extends that record to four wins and three draws from seven league meetings.

Monza have therefore still never defeated Torino in Serie A, despite their victory in the Coppa Italia earlier this season.

There is another historical distinction.

Before Friday, neither team had scored more than once in any Serie A meeting played at Torino’s home ground.

The five-goal encounter decisively ended that pattern.

The official Serie A pre-match statistical review documents the previous head-to-head record, the coaches’ history and the relevant scoring records.

What Torino’s Victory Means for the Serie A Standings

Torino entered Matchday 8 with ten points from seven games.

Friday’s victory increased that tally to 13 points from eight.

With other Round 8 fixtures still to be played, Torino moved temporarily into seventh place in the live standings.

The improvement creates an opportunity to remain close to the clubs competing for European qualification.

However, the position is provisional until the remaining weekend fixtures are completed.

Monza remained on seven points after eight matches.

That leaves Jurić’s team closer to the lower half of the table despite its encouraging attacking performances.

Torino and Monza: Points Before and After Matchday 8

TSE calculations from the teams’ match records and Friday’s final result. Points per game: Torino 10/7 = 1.43 before and 13/8 = 1.63 after; Monza 7/7 = 1.00 before and 7/8 = 0.875 after, rounded to two decimal places.

Torino’s points-per-game average has improved, while Monza’s has declined.

These averages remain sensitive to individual results because only eight rounds have been played.

Nevertheless, the difference illustrates why Friday mattered.

Torino moved closer to the group challenging for European places. Monza missed an opportunity to build on their previous victory and establish greater separation from the lower positions.

The developing hierarchy of Italian football was examined in The Sports Encounter’s 2026-27 Serie A season preview.

The race remains competitive beyond the traditional title contenders.

Frosinone have already shown how quickly a strong sequence can elevate a team, including Antonio Raimondo’s historic hat trick against Sassuolo in a 4-2 victory.

That match was analyzed in TSE’s report on Frosinone’s first Serie A hat trick.

Torino’s latest win moves them closer to that competitive group, but maintaining the position will require further results.

Can Torino Sustain Their European Challenge?

Torino have shown enough improvement to make the discussion relevant.

Three consecutive victories, 13 points from eight games and contributions from different attacking players provide legitimate reasons for optimism.

There are also limitations that should not be overlooked.

Friday’s match exposed a defensive weakness during the closing stages. Monza scored twice despite producing only three shots on target, although one of those goals came from a Torino player.

For Abate, avoiding late mistakes will be important when facing opponents with greater attacking quality.

Torino’s immediate challenge is Como, whom they host on October 27.

Como have made a strong start to the season and were identified as potential challengers to the traditional Serie A hierarchy before the campaign began.

The Sports Encounter explored their prospects and the wider competition in its preseason examination of the Scudetto race and emerging contenders.

The match against Como will provide another opportunity to assess Torino’s ability to create chances against organized opposition.

A victory would further strengthen their position. A poor defensive performance, however, could quickly interrupt the momentum built during October.

What Comes Next for Monza?

Monza’s next challenge will be Napoli at home on October 28.

The fixture will provide a difficult test of the defensive organization that failed to contain Torino’s midfield and wide attacking contributions.

Jurić will also need to identify how Monza can make better use of their possession.

Friday’s 51% share was not enough to prevent Torino from attempting more than twice as many shots.

Varela’s goalscoring form offers encouragement, particularly as he approaches Monza’s individual Serie A scoring record.

However, the team requires more consistent defensive execution if it intends to turn individual attacking success into regular victories.

That issue is especially important because Monza have already shown the ability to score against established Serie A opponents.

The Sports Encounter’s October 18 Serie A analysis examined the competitive positions of several clubs immediately before Torino and Monza played their Monday fixtures.

Monza’s subsequent victory against Cagliari suggested progress, but the defeat in Turin shows that the improvement has not yet become consistent.

Why the Serie A Matchday 8 Results Matter

The latest weekend opens with Torino moving upward and Monza losing an opportunity to maintain their recovery.

Elsewhere, the title race remains led by clubs including Inter, Lazio and Roma, while AC Milan, Como and other challengers continue attempting to establish their positions.

The Sports Encounter has tracked those developments through its Matchday 5 report on Milan, Juventus, Napoli and Frosinone and its analysis of Inter’s comeback against Roma and Cagliari’s early-season rise.

For Torino, the immediate objective is to remain competitive with the teams directly above them.

For Monza, the concern is more basic: collect points consistently enough to avoid becoming trapped in the lower part of the standings.

The results of the remaining Matchday 8 fixtures will help clarify the position of both clubs.

Torino vs Monza 3-2: Frequently Asked Questions

Who won Torino vs Monza on October 23, 2026?

Torino defeated Monza 3-2 at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino in Serie A Matchday 8.

Who scored Torino’s goals against Monza?

Kian Fitz-Jim scored in the 39th minute, Rafik Belghali in the 61st and Nikola Vlašić in the 72nd.

Who scored for Monza?

Gustavo Varela equalized in the 47th minute. Monza’s second goal was credited as an own goal by Torino substitute Nathan Patterson in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Was Fitz-Jim’s goal his first for Torino?

Yes. His 39th-minute finish was his first Torino goal and first in Serie A.

How many shots did Torino have against Monza?

Torino recorded 16 shots, including seven on target. Monza attempted seven shots, with three on target.

Who had more possession in Torino vs Monza?

Monza had 51% possession compared with Torino’s 49%, but Torino created more than twice as many shots.

Did Torino beat Monza in the Coppa Italia earlier in 2026?

No. Monza defeated Torino 1-0 in the Coppa Italia on September 1 through a Dany Mota goal. Friday’s Serie A victory reversed that result.

How many Serie A matches has Torino won consecutively?

Torino have won three consecutive league matches, beating Udinese, Parma and Monza.

What are the next matches for Torino and Monza?

Torino are scheduled to host Como on October 27, while Monza face Napoli on October 28, 2026.

The Sports Encounter Verdict: Torino Have Momentum, but the Closing Minutes Matter

Torino’s victory over Monza offered further evidence that Ignazio Abate is developing a competitive team capable of challenging opponents through several attacking options.

Fitz-Jim justified his inclusion with his first Serie A goal. Belghali restored the advantage after Monza’s equalizer, while Vlašić gave the hosts a two-goal cushion.

The result also provided a measure of revenge for September’s Coppa Italia elimination.

Three consecutive league victories have strengthened Torino’s position and created a platform for a potentially productive autumn.

However, the margin was ultimately narrower than their shooting dominance suggested.

Conceding an own goal during stoppage time turned an apparently comfortable victory into a tense finish.

Against stronger opponents, similar lapses could prove more expensive.

Monza will take some encouragement from Varela’s continued goalscoring form, but Jurić’s team must improve its ability to defend transitions and prevent opponents from creating repeated shooting opportunities.

With Torino recording 16 attempts and Monza only seven, the home side earned the stronger statistical case for victory.

The important question now is whether Torino can reproduce that attacking efficiency while protecting their advantage with greater composure.

For further Italian football coverage, match reports, tactical analysis and league developments, visit The Sports Encounter’s soccer newsroom.