Inter Milan and Torino shared the points in a pulsating encounter at the San Siro, with both sides having chances to win it near the end. Inter brought in Gaby Mudingayi in place of Alvaro Pereira and Antonio Cassano returned to the side for Marko Livaja, whilst Torino surprisingly opted not to restore leading scorer Rolando Bianchi to the side following his return from suspension.
Inter got off to the best possible start, going ahead inside five minutes. Antonio Cassano collided with Matteo Brighi on the edge of the box and the referee gave a free kick Inter's way. Cristian Chivu stepped up and delivered a delightful curling effort, which Jean-Francois Gillet had no chance of getting to.
Torino seemed rattled, and Inter were presented with a good opportunity four minutes later, Rodrigo Palacio shooting wide after Walter Gargano won the ball with a robust challenge.
Toro gradually settled into the match and were soon causing Inter trouble with their attacking enterprise. Some patient build-up play allowed Danilo D'Ambrosio to overlap and fire a dangerous low cross into the box, which Javier Zanetti had to be alert to clear.
A minute later, the brilliant Alessio Cerci then got in down the right hand side, his cross headed over by Riccardo Meggiorini.
On 23 minutes, Torino got the equaliser that their pressure deserved, Samir Handanovic rolled the ball to Fredy Guarin and the Colombian dallied on the ball for too long. He was mugged by Meggiorini who then fired past a helpless Handanovic.
Torino continued to pressure to on a rare foray forward for Inter, Rodrigo Palacio was wrenched to the ground just outside the box, and with Chivu off injured, Fredy Guarin fired the resulting free kick into the wall.
After the break, Torino once again came out firing and were deservedly ahead after 52 minutes, Alessio Cerci easily beating Alvaro Pereira down the right hand side and putting in a measured ball which Meggiorini calmly side footed home, despite pressure from Juan Jesus.
Cerci nearly put Torino 2 ahead, his mazy run into the box beating three Inter defenders before finally being tackled, the ball rolling to Meggiorini who blasted well over.
Inter's turning point came when Gaby Mudingayi was forced off due to injury. Esteban Cambiasso was introduced in his place and immediately gave the nerazzuri more guile in midfield, and he was into the action straight away, crossing from the left toward Rodrigo Palacio however it was cleared before it reached the striker.
With Cambiasso's presence in midfield, Inter began to dominate and more and more chances were coming their way. Cambiasso flicked over from Walter Gargano's through ball and Palacio, not having his best game, curled over after brilliantly trapping a diagonal ball from Antonio Cassano.
Inter's pressure was rewarded with an equalising goal, and after making such an impact after coming on, it had to be Cambiasso. Antonio Cassano threaded Javier Zanetti down the right hand side and his pull back was finished simply by the Argentine midfielder from six yards.
Thereafter, both sides had chances to win it, with substitue Rolando Bianchi forcing Handanovic to save his effort on to the post, whilst at the other end Palacio was played clean through by Cassano, only Jean-Francois Gillet's smart save preventing him from scoring.
Torino had two sparkling chances to win it at the end, Bianchi charging down Juan Jesus's attempted clearance and racing into the box, firing his shot well wide when Meggiorini was open at the far post. Meggiorini then had a great chance right at the death to win it, but Handanovic did enough to ensure the points were shared
Inter: Handanovic; Ranocchia, Chivu (Pereira 28), Juan Jesus; Mudingayi (Cambiasso 53), Gargano, Guarin, Zanetti, Nagatomo; Palacio, Cassano (Alvarez 75)
Torino: Gillet; D'Ambrosio, Glik, Masiello, Gazzi; Brighi, Cerci (Vives 81), Meggiorini, Rodriguez; Barreto (Bianchi 61), Santana (Birsa 70)
Goals: Chivu 4 (I), Meggiorini 22 (T), Meggiorini 53 (T), Cambiasso 67 (I)