INTER HOLD CHIEVO AT SAN SIRO

Saturday, 22 January 2005 22:43:05

MILAN - Inter came back from behind to draw 1-1 with Chievo at the Giuseppe Meazza on Saturday night. Obafemi Martins grabbed a late equaliser after Mandelli fired the visitors into a second-half lead. The result sees Mancini's Inter set a new club record of twenty Serie A matches without defeat after last weekend's draw in Reggio Calabria equalled Alfredo Foni's long run of positive results in the Scudetto-winning 1952-53 season. Including all competitions, the Nerazzurri are now unbeaten in thirty-two games. A low-key first half saw both sides hit the woodwork, Tiribocchi's shot on the turn coming off the crossbar early on before Recoba rattled the post with a trademark free kick in added time. Inter continued to press hard for an opener after the restart and Christian Vieri had a goal ruled out for offside on 58 minutes, but, constantly dangerous on the counter-attack, the Gialloblu took the lead on 73 minutes when Mandelli found the net with a first-time shot from a Baronio corner. Obafemi Martins levelled seven minutes from time, getting on the end of Recoba's cross-shot then creating a yard of space before slotting into an open goal. Chievo could have won it late on when former Inter winger Luciano combined with Amauri then saw his diagonal shot come off the crossbar. Inter are in Coppa Italia action this Thursday with a quarter-final first leg away to Atalanta, then it's Palermo away in the league next Sunday evening.

Statistic :

INTER 1-1 CHIEVO (HT: 0-0)

Scorers: Mandelli 73, Martins 83

INTER: 1 Toldo, 2 Cordoba, 4 J. Zanetti , 6 C.Zanetti (14 Veron 59), 16 Favalli, 19 Cambiasso (7 van der Meyde 81), 20 Recoba, 23 Materazzi, 25 Stankovic, 30 Martins, 32 VieriSubs not used: 12 Fontana, 3 Burdisso, 5 Emre, 13 Zé Maria , 77 CocoCoach: Roberto Mancini

CHIEVO: 1 Marchegiani, 7 Semioli, 8 Baronio, 9 Tiribocchi (5 Luciano 84), 23 Lanna, 27 Moro, 29 Mandelli, 31 Pellissier (11 Amauri 61), 32 Malagò (2 Mensah 84), 33 Brighi, 72 D'AnnaSubs not used: 34 Marcon, 10 Zanchetta, 19 Franceschini, 21 SammarcoCoach: Mario Beretta

Referee: Gianluca Paparesta

Bookings: Malagò 30, Brighi 36, Semioli 45, Recoba 55