Mario Balotelli cancelled out Valeri Bojinov's goal, as Inter were held at the Tardini by 10-man Parma.

This game was originally snowed off on January 31 and rescheduled, forcing the change of Coppa Italia fixtures as a result. The Nerazzurri were eight points clear at the top of the table with this game in hand, but had Wesley Sneijder suspended with Cristian Chivu, Dejan Stankovic and Sulley Muntari sidelined. Parma's Massimo Paci and Christian Panucci sat out bans, while Hernan Crespo and Blerim Dzemaili were on the treatment table.

Within the opening 90 seconds Goran Pandev had unleashed a snapshot on the bounce from outside the box that forced Antonio Mirante into a full-stretch save. Pandev tested the Parma goalkeeper again with a left-foot strike.

Ex-West Ham creative midfielder Luis Jimenez, still owned by Inter, was brought down by Esteban Cambiasso on the outside edge of the box, but the free kick from the Chilean was deflected wide.

Jonathan Biabiany went on a blazing counter-attack until Pandev was booked for shoving him over.

Mirante took two touches to control a dangerous Thiago Motta diving header from six yards, as it nearly squirmed out of his grasp and into the net.

A through ball released Valeri Bojinov and only a sliding Marco Materazzi challenge deflected the shot out for a corner.

Moments later an inspired Motta ball over the top sent Milito clear, but Mirante rushed off his line to close down the shot from point-blank range.

Lucio's powerful free kick was smothered, while Cristian Zaccardo flicked a corner wide with the side of his foot. A defensive clearance from Samuel Eto'o fell to Pandev, whose follow-up from the D was caught on the line by Mirante.

Straight after the restart Julio Cesar jumped across the face of goal to block a Stefano Morrone shot on the bounce. A poor clearance fell to Bojinov, but he was surprised and didn't make enough of the chance, then as the move continued Morrone's shot was charged down.

Parma looked like they were going to score on 54 minutes when Valiani's cross was whipped in for Bojinov in the six-yard box, but Lucio at full stretch did just about enough to intercept. However, from that corner Julio Cesar only parried a Zaccardo volley into the path of Bojinov to bundle over the line from point-blank range.

Jose Mourinho immediately made two tactical changes, introducing Davide Santon and Mario Balotelli for Ivan Cordoba and Thiago Motta.

It proved an inspired substitution, as Balotelli equalised straight away. Eto'o earned a corner, which Lucio knocked down with his body for Balotelli's fierce angled drive from seven yards.

The game was now wide open with both sides trading counter-attacks. Biabiany used his extraordinary change of pace to fly past Marco Materazzi, but Julio Cesar rushed out and used his legs to parry the daisy-cutter.

McDonald Mariga replaced Eto'o to face the team he left only 10 days ago. Mariga nearly scored on his comeback, as a poor clearance came out to the Kenyan for a splendid half-volley that Mirante palmed round the post.

Parma were comfortably in this game, but on 72 minutes Valiani went in late through the back of Lucio and received an inevitable second yellow card.

Nonetheless, the Ducali had a perfect counter-attack opportunity from an Inter free kick, but Paloschi's dummy for Biabiany was just slightly behind the striker, allowing Mariga to close him down.

Moments later another Biabiany assist with the outside of his foot was a little too long for Paloschi. Balotelli's audacious volley was wide and there was bad news for Inter on 78 minutes, as Materazzi fell awkwardly and clutched the back of his right thigh. The substitutions had been completed, but Matrix grit his teeth to carry on with a large strapping to his leg. As he couldn't really run, the defender went up front while Cambiasso was the centre-back.

Cambiasso was booked for a dreadful tackle on Biabiany to stop the dangerous counter. Parma went very close to victory when Zaccardo twice had shots charged down in the box in quick succession.

There was danger in stoppages when Parma's corner was cleared for a counter and Balotelli rode two tackles for Pandev until Maicon blasted over.

Jimenez tried to score against his old club with a well-worked solo effort, but the finish was high from the edge of the box. Materazzi had the final chance of the game, as the defender with one leg out of action nodded over from seven yards.