Last-ditch equaliser saves Inter Milan

Inter Milan and Juventus drew a remarkable match 1-1 on Saturday thanks to a last-ditch goal by Inter striker Christian Vieri.

The match had looked as though it was heading Juventus' way when Alessandro Del Piero scored from the penalty spot after Inter defender Francesco Coco was judged to have brought down Mauro Camoranesi.

But a frenetic and bad-tempered finale - in which referee Pierluigi Collina sent off Juventus's Antonio Conte and Inter's Domenico Morfeo for brawling - ended with a corner being converted by Christian Vieri four minutes into injury time.

The draw leaves Inter three points ahead of second-placed AC Milan at the top of Serie A and Juventus in third on nine points, equal with AS Roma.

It was a match that neither team's coach could afford to lose. Inter's Hector Cuper had been accused by the Italian media of tactical indecision after laboured wins over Reggina and Chievo.

Juventus's Marcello Lippi, meanwhile, was desperate for a victory after back-to-back draws against Parma and Como halted his team's progress in the league.

Juventus looked stronger for long stretches of the match controlling midfield and restricting Inter to lauching long balls upfield in search of Vieri and fellow striker Hernan Crespo.

Juventus's Pavel Nedved was particularly impressive, forcing Inter's defence deep into their half and rifling a close-range shot inches wide of goalkeeper Francesco Toldo's far post after five minutes.

Four minutes later Inter defender Ivan Cordoba had to poke the ball away from Lilian Thuram's outstretched foot after Alessandro Del Piero had put him through with a back heel.

BALANCE CHANGES

Gradually, however, the balance of the match changed as Inter's Argentinian midfielder Javier Zanetti began to push forward on weaving runs and launched passes to team mate Alvaro Recoba wide on the left hand side.

Seconds before half time a low cross by Recoba seemingly destined for Crespo was smothered by Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon at his near post.

Juventus came out stronger after the break, though the deadlock continued as Toldo made superb stops from Del Peiro in the 53rd minute and then from Marcello Salas in the 68th.

Vieri then had Buffon one-on-one but the goalkeeper tipped the ball away from the striker's feet for the rebound to fall to Crespo, but the Argentinian struck it against the post.

Just when it seemed the game would end in a draw, Camoranesi tumbled over Coco in the area to earn the controversial penalty in the 88th minute.

The protests of Inter's players made no impact on Collina and Del Piero's conversion seemed to have wrapped the match up, until Vieri poked the ball over the line to equalise in a desperate goalmouth scramble four minutes into injury time.

Afterwards, Inter goalkeeper Toldo said he had scored the goal after he joined the goalmouth melee in a desperate attempt to equalise.

"I don't care what he says," Toldo joked with reporters after the game when asked whether Vieri, who was officially given the goal, really was the scorer.

"It came off my belly. It was a good cross. I got a touch on it and the ball somehow finished up in the back of the net."

"It was a great moment and one I will be able to tell to my children."