Bologna frustrate champions Inter

ROME (AFP) - Champions Inter Milan were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw away to Bologna in their opening match of the 2010/11 Serie A season on Monday.
In a game delayed due to Inter's European Supercup commitments in Monaco on Friday, the nerazzurri took 45 minutes to wake up and then despite bombarding Bologna's goal in football jersey
the second period, they could find no way through.
If playing last season's treble winners wasn't tough enough already, Bologna's preparations were thrown into disarray on the eve of the match when president Sergio Porcedda sacked coach Franco Colomba and temporarily replaced him with youth team boss Paolo Magnani.

But the hosts showed remarkable resilience, not least from goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano, who made a number of crucial saves, including one with his head.
Although Inter changed coaches in the summer—Rafael Benitez replacing the Real Madrid-bound Jose Mourinho—the starting XI in a 4-4-3 formation came straight from the Portuguese's mould.
However, Inter failed to sparkle and only reached something resembling their own high standards after the interval.
Benitez paid tribute to Viviano's performance but lamented his team's lack of freshness.
"He did very well with his head, with his hands, with everything," joked Benitez.
"In the beginning we had control, we did well but then they had some chances on the counter-attack, but in the second half we did everything we'd spoken about beforehand.
"We're lacking physical condition and then (Bologna) worked well in defence, they were organised and it wasn't easy to find space, but I'm happy with the reaction of my team in the second half.
"We hope to do better in future, we're at the beginning and everyone needs to understand that we must have more of the ball.
"We had some chances, we showed that even away we wanted to win. We had control, we did everything we could but we lacked freshness."
Inter had a scare on 14 minutes as Marco Di Vaio Denver Broncos jersey
played a crossfield ball over the top that both centre-back Lucio and goalkeeper Julio Cesar went for.
Lucio got in a weak clearance that went back across goal and left Julio Cesar stranded, but with an empty net to aim at Henry Gimenez lofted his shot hopelessly over the bar.
Inter were creating little of note with Esteban Cambiasso volleying over and Kenya international McDonald Mariga dragging a shot from the right well wide of the far post.
Bologna again threatened on 41 minutes as Di Vaio crossed for Gimenez but the 24-year-old Uruguayan took an age to bring the ball down and then fired over.
Late on in the half Wesley Sneijder dipped a free-kick just over the bar but Inter had failed to impose themselves on the first period.
After the break the champions started to turn the screw as Goran Pandev headed a Diego Milito cross straight at Viviano who then plunged to his left to keep out a rasping Sneijder drive.
On 73 minutes Viviano made a stunning one-handed save to keep out a Sneijder free-kick and then moments later the stopper saved Bologna again.
Substitute Coutinho crossed to Samuel Eto'o who came flying in to volley goalwards from two yards out but the ball cannoned off the unwitting Viviano's head, onto the bar and away to safety.
Despite being given a remarkable six minutes of Dallas Cowboys jersey
stoppage time to try to find a winner, Inter could find no way through.
Their bitter city rivals AC Milan head the table after their 4-0 thumping of newly-promoted Lecce on Sunday.

Goalshy Inter held at Bologna in opener

* Eto’o hits bar and Sneijder impresses but Inter lack verve
* Managerless Bologna cling on to be thrilled with 0-0 draw
(adds details, quotes)
MILAN, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Inter Milan’s cheap nfl jerseys
Serie A title defence began with a frustrating 0-0 draw at managerless Bologna on Monday when scant options on the bench again undermined Rafa Benitez’s new side.
The European champions have decided to stick with the players who secured an unprecedented Italian treble last term but the lack of a replacement for sold forward Mario Balotelli could haunt Inter with just a day left in the transfer window.
“It’s clear we are lacking a bit of freshness and physicality. I’m happy with the character and reaction we showed in the second half,” former Liverpool coach Benitez told Sky TV.
“Let’s see if we do can do some late transfer business and if not wait until January.”
Inter looked a touch off the pace as they had done in Friday’s European Super Cup defeat by Atletico Madrid although Wesley Sneijder threatened with three free kicks.
Samuel Eto’o clipped the bar from substitute Coutinho’s cross in Cleveland Browns jersey
an improved second half but Inter fans will be worried by the start and the lack of reinforcements for an ageing squad.
Their fears will have intensified after AC Milan signed their former hero Zlatan Ibrahimovic and battered Lecce 4-0 in their first game on Sunday.
Striker Diego Milito, the key to Inter’s imperious success under Jose Mourinho last term, was again totally anonymous and Bologna almost took advantage by stealing the win.
The hosts, perennial strugglers, had gone into the game without a coach after the astonishing decision to sack Franco Colomba on the eve of their Serie A opener and leave youth team boss Paolo Magnani in temporary charge.
Last season’s runners-up AS Roma also Cincinnati Bengals jersey
drew 0-0 with promoted Cesena on Saturday while Juventus, much-changed after last term’s seventh place finish, lost 1-0 at Bari in their first match on Sunday.