| The Derby dello Stretto ends with a share of the points that does little to help either of these relegation strugglers. This was the long-awaited Derby dello Stretto - named after the stretch of water that separates the Sicilian city from the Italian mainland - and both teams needed a good result to recover from 4-0 thumpings at the weekend. Reggina were still without long-term injuries Ivan Pelizzoli, Rolando Bianchi, Simone Cavalli and Jury Cannarsa, but had former Messina striker Nicola Amoruso back to full fitness.
Reggina Coach Walter Mazzarri only lasted 20 minutes, as his dissent proved too much for referee Gianluca Paparesta.
Messina took first blood with Arturo Di Napoli's header at the near post. A fine team move down the left flank eventually saw Riccardo Zampagna cross in for the ex-Inter man's fifth goal of the season.
Lanzaro's intervention on a Zampagna counter-attack proved crucial and Gaetano D'Agostino's free kick was not far off the target.
Reggina's first real chance was on the stroke of half-time, as Carlos Paredes nodded a Francesco Cozza cross over the bar.
The Amaranto were much more aggressive after the break and went close with a couple of long-range Cozza attempts.
Reggina rattled the crossbar on 62 minutes with Luca Vigiani's header from a corner kick. When Tedesco saw red for a foul on Salvatore Aronica, many thought the visitors had lost their chance of earning a point here.
The deserved equaliser eventually came in controversial circumstances with just four minutes left on the clock. Goalkeeper Marco Storari clattered into teammate Zanchi and a Reggina player, but play was allowed to continue and Cozza nodded into an empty net. Zanchi was injured in that move and was stretchered off for tests.
Messina staged a late fightback and Zampagna's long-range effort was just wide on the turn and volley.
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