Inter missed the chance to temporarily go top of Serie A after being held to a 1-1 draw at Palermo, last night.
Ivan Perisic opened the scoring for Roberto Mancini’s side on the hour mark, but former Milan striker Alberto Gilardino equalised shortly after as Inter were frustrated for a third week running.
Having failed to beat Juventus last week, Inter went into the game on the back of three games without a win following an excellent start to the campaign, and were immediately on the back foot.
Gilardino had a golden chance to open the scoring in the sixth minute, but headed over from just eight yards.
Stevan Jovetic was lively throughout, but was wasteful in front of goal before Samir Handanovic was called into action as Franco Vaz-quez forced a full-stretch save as the visitors piled on the pressure.
There was controversy as Geoffrey Kondogbia avoided a second yellow card as Vazquez went to ground, only for the Palermo forward to see yellow for simulation.
Mancini’s half-time team talk looked to have fired his players up however, as they upped the tempo after the break and Jovetic drew a fine save with a pinpoint free-kick.
The deadlock was eventually broken when Perisic tapped home following good work by substitute Jonathan Biabiany.
However, Gilardino was on hand moments later to finish a scrappy move following more good work down the wing by Vazquez.
Inter were reduced to 10 men with 10 minutes to go when Jeison Murillo got a double booking, but the two sides were unable to be separated as time eventually ran out, leaving Inter level on points with league leaders Fiorentina.
In other matches, Genoa’s travel sickness continued as they went down 2-0 to Empoli while Adam Masina grabbed a last-gasp winner as Bologna leapfrogged Carpi, who replaced them at the foot of Serie A.
Rade Krunic scored moments before half-time for Empoli and Piotr Zielinski’s 57th-minute goal wrapped up three points which help Empoli edge away from the bottom three in the table.
The battle of the league’s bottom two teams was tipping in Carpi’s favour when Gaetano Letizia stabbed home from close-range after Marco Boriello’s touch forward.
But Lorenzo Lollo was dismissed for a second yellow card before half-time, changing the complexion of the game.
Daniele Gastaldello levelled matters two minutes into the second half after Luca Rizzo’s drive came back off the post and Masina poached the decisive goal in the 90th minute.
Results
Serie A
Empoli 2
Krunic 44; Zielinski 57;
Genoa 0
HT: 1-0. Att: 8,770.
Carpi 1
Letizia 24;
Bologna 2
Gastaldello 47; Masina 90;
HT: 1-0. Att: 6,747.
Red card: Lollo (C) 38.
Palermo 1
Gilardino 66;
Inter 1
Perisic 60;
HT: 0-0. Att: 20,626.
Red card: Murillo (IN) 80.
Playing today
Sampdoria vs Verona - 12.30
Milan vs Sassuolo - 15.00
Juventus vs Atalanta - 15.00
Udinese vs Frosinone - 15.00
Fiorentina vs Roma - 18.00
Lazio vs Torino - 18.00
Chievo vs Napoli - 20.45
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Fiorentina | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 6 | 18 |
| Inter | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 18 |
| Roma | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 10 | 17 |
| Napoli | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 18 | 8 | 15 |
| Sassuolo | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 8 | 15 |
| Lazio | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 13 | 15 |
| Torino | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 9 | 14 |
| Atalanta | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 8 | 14 |
| Chievo | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 8 | 12 |
| Sampdoria | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 12 | 11 |
| Palermo | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 13 | 11 |
| Empoli | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 14 | 10 |
| Genoa | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 10 |
| Milan | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 14 | 10 |
| Juventus | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 8 | 9 |
| Udinese | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 8 |
| Frosinone | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 7 |
| Bologna | 9 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 14 | 6 |
| Verona | 8 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 5 |
| Carpi | 9 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 21 | 5 |
Top scorers
6 goals: Eder (Sampdoria), Higuain (Napoli), Insigne (Napoli).
5 goals: Kalinic (Fiorentina).
Next fixtures
Tuesday: 20.45 Bologna vs Inter.
Wednesday: 20.45 Atalanta vs Lazio; Frosinone vs Carpi; Milan vs Chievo; Napoli vs Palermo; Roma vs Udinese; Sassuolo vs Juventus; Torino vs Genoa; Verona vs Fiorentina.
Thursday: 20.45 Samp vs Empoli.
Serie B
Ascoli vs Crotone - 0-1
Bari vs Entella - 0-0
Brescia vs Virtus Lanciano - 2-1
Cagliari vs Trapani - 4-1
Como vs Latina - 1-1
Livorno vs Modena - 2-0
Salernitana vs Cesena - 1-1
Spezia vs Avellino - 1-1
Ternana vs Perugia - 0-1
Playing tomorrow:
Novara vs Pescara - 20.30
Standings: Crotone 20; Cagliari 19; Cesena 17; Livorno 16; Spezia, Pescara, Bari 15; Latina, Brescia, Trapani 13; Novara (-2) 12; Vicenza, Entella 11; Ascoli, Perugia, Modena 10; Lanciano, Salernitana 9; Pro Vercelli 8; Ternana, Avellino 7; Como 6.