Internazionale held on to beat 10-man Fiorentina 4-2 and hand their manager, Stefano Pioli, his first win since taking charge.

Four days after throwing away a two-goal lead to lose to Hapoel Be’er Sheva and exit the Europa League, Inter were almost pegged back in Serie A despite leading 3-0 after 19 minutes.

Marcelo Brozovic, Antonio Candreva and Mauro Icardi scored early for the hosts but Nikola Kalinic pulled one back and, after Gonzalo’s controversial dismissal in first-half stoppage time, Josip Ilicic got another. But Icardi struck in stoppage time to inflict a first defeat in seven league games on Fiorentina.

Grégoire Defrel’s stunning equaliser snapped Sassuolo’s losing streak and delivered another blow to Napoli’s Scudetto hopes. Defrel’s late volley cancelled out Lorenzo Insigne’s opener to seal a 1-1 draw – Napoli’s third stalemate in a row at the Stadio San Paolo in all competitions.

Insigne cut in from the left before letting fly with a deflected strike that beat Andrea Consigli and gave the hosts a deserved 42nd-minute lead.

Sassuolo improved after the break and ended a run of four straight league defeats when Marcello Gazzola’s fine cross from the right was brilliantly dispatched on the volley by Defrel from near the penalty spot.

Napoli, in seventh place, have 25 points from 14 games and are eight points behind Juventus, who lead the table by four points from Roma and Milan.