Inter held to draw at Bologna
Reigning Italian champions Inter Milan failed to break the deadlock against Bologna in the first game of the season, resulting in a frustrating 0-0 draw for the team.
The game was Rafael Benitez' first in charge of the Italian champions, and the Spaniard will be eager to claim his first win in the next game against Udinese on 12 September.
Inter, who had looked uninspired against Atletico Madrid in the European Super Cup final last Friday, continued in the same vein in the opening round of the Serie A.
Stars Wesley Sneider and Samuel Eto'o both came close for the team, but neither managed to score.
The draw will be especially disappointing in light of Milan's strong performance against Lecce on Sunday. Led by Brazilians Pato and Ronaldinho and boosted by the signing of Barcelona's Zlatan Ivbrahimovic, Milan hit four past a weak Lecce side.
Bologna matched Inter before half time
Henry Gimenez, Gyorgy Garics and Daniele Portanova all came close to scoring for Bologna in the first 20 minutes. Gimenez, in particular, should have converted his attempted lob from outside the box into the abandoned Inter goal.
Inter enjoyed a few half-chances before Gimenez, assisted by Marco di Vaio, thumped another effort over the bar on 41 minutes.
Playmaker Sneijder had time to test his aim from outside the box before half time, but his tame effort was calmly collected by keeper Emilio Viviano.
Viviano then watched as Sneijder's rocket of a free kick went over the bar in the dying minutes of the half.
Inter charged after the break
Inter stepped up the pace of their movement after the break, and it was Argentinian striker Diego Milito who directed proceedings in attack. First, he collected Goran Pandev's pass and fired straight at Viviano on 48 minutes.
Four minutes later, Milito turned provider for Pandev with a pinpoint cross that the Macedonian failed to head home from close range.
Eto'o advanced from the left towards the Bologna penalty box after 59 minutes, only to have his long-range deflected wide of the goal for a corner.
Sneijder then forced two good saves from Vivianni, from a long-range shot from the left channel and a free kick from just outside the penalty box.
Pressure was mounting on Bologna, and when the defence of Vivianni failed to get in the way of the ball, the goal frame did.
Philippe Coutinho whipped in a cross from the right to Eto'o, whose effort from inside the penalty box was blocked onto the crossbar after 74 minutes.
Sneijder failed to score from two long-range efforts before Di Vaio's free kick was collected by Julio Cesar in the last kick of the match.
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