Inter's perfect run ends with draw in Bologna

Milan - A frenetic first-half display by Simone Verdi ended Inter Milan's perfect start to the Serie A season as skipper Mauro Icardi snatched a 1-1 draw at Bologna.

Luciano Spalletti had been looking to make it five wins from five but had to settle for just one point in Bologna.

Verdi came out firing on all cylinders with a half dozen shots at goal before the breakthrough on 32 minutes with a powerful left-footed effort from 25 metres out.

But Argentine forward Icardi levelled from the spot after 77 minutes after a foul by Ibrahima Mbaye on Eder for his sixth goal of the season.

"We knew that Bologna is a team that plays well," said Inter striker Eder. "They had Napoli in difficulty for 70 minutes, even if (Napoli) managed to win. There are two lost points, we will see what went wrong this week."

Verdi's was just the second goal conceded this season by Inter, who had been sitting top on maximum points alongside Napoli and Juventus after four matches.

Now with 13 points, Inter move provisionally top but champions Juventus and Napoli have the chance to pull ahead when they play Fiorentina and Lazio respectively on Wednesday.

Eder added: "We have to look at ourselves not Napoli and Juventus, our goal is the Champions League and we have to fight at all costs."

Spalletti had made just one change to the side that beat Crotone on Saturday with Japanese defender Yuto Nagatomo in for Brazilian Dalbert.

But Inter suffered in the first half with Argentine Icardi just failing to get on the end of an Ivan Perisic cross before Verdi got on the scoresheet.

Inter gained momentum after the break but failed to find a way through until the foul by Mbaye on Eder which was confirmed by the video assistant referee.

Icardi converted the penalty to snatch a point ahead of Sunday's second Serie A fixture this week against Genoa in the San Siro.

Bologna move up two spots to 11th as they bounced back from the weekend defeat at Fiorentina.