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Julio Cruz snatched an injury-time victory at the Tardini to keep Inter on top of the table, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a great goal and saw red.
The Nerazzurri hoped to end their Tardini taboo, as they'd only ever won here once in Serie A, interrupting a string of five draws and 10 defeats. Adriano remained sidelined in his search for form, while Daniele Dessena was suspended and veteran Luca Bucci returned in goal.
Ex-Parma man Hernan Crespo just failed to get a final touch on to Fabio Grosso's low cross. The ex-Palermo full-back went for goal himself soon after, his strike clipping the crossbar with Bucci beaten.
The Gialloblu also had a good scoring opportunity sparked by Domenico Morfeo, but when Andrea Pisanu rolled it back to the edge of the area, Morfeo was off balance and ballooned over the bar.
Inter broke through with a fantastic bit of skill from Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The Swede chested down the ball with his back to goal flicked it round with his right foot and smashed the shot into the far corner.
Parma reacted as Pisanu's angled drive whistled across the face of goal before the equaliser on 27 minutes. Bocchetti's cross from the left found Igor Budan on the penalty spot for a fine left-foot volley that slipped past Julio Cesar at the far post.
Some desperate defending prevented Crespo tapping in Ibrahimovic's cutback from close range. The Argentine also blasted Maicon's assist over an open goal from five yards, but his blushes were saved by an offside flag.
Patrick Vieira was booked for a foul on Zlatan Muslimovic, but a shocking Ferdinand Coly backpass was intercepted by Ibrahimovic and the roll to Crespo was cleared at the last second. It was an ill-tempered game, with elbows and arms flying between Contini and Crespo, Coly and Ivan Cordoba.
The second half kicked off with a great opportunity for Parma to take the lead, as Morfeo hooked the ball from the edge of the area and his shot was deflected inches over the bar.
There was bad news, though, as Bucci suffered a calf problem, but was able to stay on with the aid of some heavy strapping. Morfeo ran on to a Budan cutback and as he pulled the trigger was caught in a sandwich between Maicon and Marco Materazzi to charge it down.
Budan dispossessed Cordoba and caused panic in the Inter area, but Vincenzo Grella eventually blazed wide. Roberto Mancini saw his side was becoming ineffective in the second half, so he introduced Julio Cruz for Crespo. Bucci's condition deteriorated and he had to make way for Alfonso De Lucia.
Grosso's cross ricocheted around the Parma area with Vieira and Maicon failing to get their shot in. Budan's hook and volley was well over, as it turned into a very open game with end to end moves.
Parma really should've gone 2-1 up on 74 minutes when a free kick was put back into the centre, leaving Muslimovic totally alone and on-side, but he incredibly scuffed wildly at the ball with only Julio Cesar to beat.
Budan suffered from cramp and made way for veteran Fernando Couto in a five-man defence. Grosso threatened with a low free kick that forced a tough save out of De Lucia.
The substitute goalkeeper proved decisive with an unbelievable one-handed fingertip save to bat Cruz's looping header out from the far corner of the net.
On the counter-attack, Julio Cesar came tearing out and lost the ball, forcing Olivier Dacourt into a sliding foul on Muslimovic. Couto was booked for an elbow on Cruz, then Maicon sparked a counter with Grosso's finish charged down.
Inter could not believe it on 88 minutes when they failed to take the lead. A corner kick came out to Santiago Solari, whose strike cannoned off the inside of the upright and flew to Ibrahimovic, who hit it on to the side-netting from a yard.
An audacious Muslimovic overhead kick was shinned off target during the first of six minutes of stoppages.
The game was wide open and on 92 minutes Cruz snatched victory for Inter. His header from a Mariano Gonzalez centre was parried brilliantly by De Lucia, but the goalkeeper could do nothing on the follow-up from point-blank range.
Ibrahimovic had recently been booked for a row with Coly and then saw his second yellow card for kicking the ball away with a sarcastic round of applause at the referee.
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