Inter held by Bologna, Toni wins Verona derby

Rome: Inter Milan twice threw away the lead given to them by Mauro Icardi's superb goals and then missed the first penalty they have been awarded this season in an incident-packed 2-2 draw with Bologna in Serie A on Saturday.

The result piled the pressure on Walter Mazzarri whose side were booed off in front of club president Erick Thohir after a comical defensive mix-up with 17 minutes left allowed Kone Panagiotis to equalise before they missed from the spot.

Icardi had put the hosts in front in the sixth and 63rd minutes only for a fizzing Jonathan Cristaldo shot in the 35th and Kone's gifted goal to leave the home fans smarting after Diego Milito's weak penalty was saved seven minutes from time.

Inter were given the spot kick when Rodrigo Palacio was clumsily brought down by Andrea Mantovani only for Gianluca Curci to easily bat aside substitute Milito's effort.

"Maybe we're just so out of practice that we never score them," said Mazzarri. "It made sense that Diego Milito took the penalty, as he's always taken them and he had fresh legs.

"What are the odds of getting a penalty after 33 games and not converting it?"

Inter could even have lost but for an astonishing Samir Handanovic double save to thwart Robert Acquafresca in added time.

"It is the fourth time we have dropped points despite a very strong performance which I feel deserved a win," added Mazzarri. "I have to reassure these lads somehow."

Mazzarri's side have not won in four games and stay fifth on 50 points, three ahead of Parma, who host Napoli on Sunday, still occupying the last Europa League qualifying spot.

Inter are only four points ahead of red-hot Atalanta, who face lowly Sassuolo on Sunday, and Hellas Verona, who beat local rivals Chievo Verona 1-0 earlier on Saturday thanks to veteran striker Luca Toni's 16th goal of the season.

Local media have reported that if Inter do not qualify for the Europa League, Mazzarri's job will be under serious threat, even though Thohir publicly backed his coach earlier this week.

Bologna, who have won twice this year, stay 17th but move level on 27 points with Chievo and two points above third-bottom Livorno, who travel to leaders Juventus on Monday.

Second-placed AS Roma visit Cagliari on Sunday looking to close the gap on Juve to five points before Antonio Conte's side play.

In Saturday's early kickoff, veteran striker Luca Toni struck his 16th league goal this term for Hellas to secure a win that takes them closer to European football next season.

Toni, who will celebrate his 37th birthday in May, scuffed home the winner following indecision in the Chievo area to move his side up to eighth place.

Defeat for Chievo means they remain 16th on 27 points, two above third-from-bottom Livorno. Former Bayern Munich, Fiorentina and Juve striker Toni has been a revelation since signing for Hellas in the close season and is now two goals behind Serie A top scorer Carlos Tevez.

He has scored more league goals in one season than any other striker in the history of the club and could even find himself in contention for a place in Cesare Prandelli's Italy World Cup squad if he carries on his goalscoring exploits.

"Brazil? If they're talking about players who are scoring less than me, then why not?" said Toni.

"Getting myself back in the game and beating Verona's goal record is a source of great joy for me. I did it for other teams and now I've done it here."

Both of Icardi's goals for Inter at the San Siro were worthy of winning any match. The 21-year-old opened the scoring with a brilliant half-volley finish from Yuti Nagatomo's inswinging cross in a threatening opening few minutes.

But Cristaldo equalised for the visitors after Gyorgy Garica skipped past Nagatomo on the right with a great piece of skill and cut the ball back for Lazaros Christodoulopoulos, whose shot was saved by Handanovic and fell to the Argentine to level.

Icardi put his side back in front with a stunning long-range strike, taking a pass from Hernanes and spinning before firing his sixth goal of the season off the post with a beautiful curling shot.

Looking certainties to win, Inter then presented Bologna with a second goal, Mantovani's wicked cross flashing past Kone and Esteban Cambiasso before rebounding off a falling Rolando back to Kone, who pounced to make it 2-2.