Inter suffers miserable start to title defence
ROME: Inter Milan suffered a miserable start to its Italian title defence on Sunday when it was held to a 1-1 draw at home by Udinese and finished the match with 10 men.
In contrast, city rival AC Milan, the European champion, enjoyed a 3-0 win at promoted Genoa with Brazilian ace Kaka hitting two goals.
However, it's Juventus who sits proudly on top of the table after marking its return to Serie A with a 5-1 demolition of Livorno on Saturday with French striker David Trezeguet grabbing a hat-trick.
Inter went into the match at the San Siro without defender Marco Materazzi as well as influential midfielder Patrick Vieira who were both injured.
But it went ahead after just nine minutes when Dejan Stankovic beat the offside trap and stroked the ball past Antonio Chimenti.
Inter should have added to its total but it was rocked when goalkeeper Julio Cesar was sent off in the 57th minute for handling the ball outside his area.
The champion held on until the second minute of injury time when Udinese equalized in bizarre circumstances when Ivan Cordoba put through his own goal as Gerald Asamoah closed in for the visitors.
"We aren't at the top of our match fitness, but it is very difficult to play in this heat," said Stankovic.
"We could have put the result under lock and key in the first half, but that is football. With the red card we started to struggle."
Kaka scored twice in the closing minutes of the first half, the second from a penalty, as Milan ruined Genoa's return to the top flight after a 12-year absence.
Massimo Ambrosini had put Milan in front in the 21st minute.
In Sunday's late match, last season's runner-up Roma, buoyed by its Super Cup triumph over Inter last week, beat Palermo 2-0 in Sicily with first half goals from Philippe Mexes and Alberto Aquilani.
Promoted Napoli was first day loser sinking to a 2-0 defeat at home to Cagliari in its first Serie A match since 2001.
Alessandro Matri and Naples-born Pasquale Foggia, from the penalty spot, were on target for the Sardinian side.
Catania coach Silvio Baldini had to be dragged away after a confrontation with Parma's Mimmo Di Carlo in the 2-2 draw.
AFP
(China Daily 08/28/2007 page23)
