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Inter's title defence got off to a disastrous start, as Julio Cesar was sent off and Udinese snatched a point at San Siro with Ivan Cordoba's own goal.
How to follow a record-breaking Scudetto season? That was the task in front of Roberto Mancini and he began his defence against the only side he was unable to beat in Serie A last term. Udinese held the Nerazzurri to two draws and were hoping for another result with new arrival Fabio Quagliarella. Inter once again sent Adriano to the stands as a tactical choice, preferring the partnership of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Julio Cruz. Marco Materazzi is out for at least two months after a freak thigh injury risked ending his career, while Patrick Vieira was also sidelined.
Inter started without a single Italian in the starting XI and only Francesco Toldo on the bench. Udinese proved dangerous on the counter after seven minutes, as Antonio Floro Flores rolled across for the unmarked Quagliarella, but Walter Samuel bravely blocked the shot.
However, moments later Inter took the lead with their first real chance. Dejan Stankovic sprung the offside trap down the right flank and placed his finish between Antonio Chimenti and the near post from a very tight angle. The move was set up by some fancy Ibrahimovic footwork.
Stankovic should have made it 2-0, but he incredibly ballooned over from nine yards after good work from Javier Zanetti.
Udinese stayed in the game as Gyan Asamoah used his pace to rocket up the field and cause panic in the Inter rearguard, but an Ivan Cordoba deflection took the cross away from two totally unmarked players. Soon after, Asamoah spun round Samuel and forced Julio Cesar to fingertip it round the near post. From the corner, Asamoah turned a free header over from six yards that clipped the crossbar.
Luis Figo and Ibrahimovic were trying to out-impress each other with delightful flicks in the same move, but a defender intercepted the ball before Cruz could nod in from six yards.
Quagliarella cut back for Inler's rocket that stung Julio Cesar's palms, while Ibra chested down for a first-time Stankovic cross that Cruz embarrassingly fired over with only the 'keeper to beat.
Straight after the restart Udinese went very close to an equaliser. Quagliarella was allowed to charge on the counter-attack and his angled drive skimmed the base of the far post by a matter of inches.
Quagliarella also set up a promising opportuity for Tomas Sivok, smothered by Olivier Dacourt.
Udinese were piling on the pressure and, on 57 minutes, Julio Cesar was sent off for touching the ball outside the area, tipping it off Asamoah's head. Toldo came on for the disappointing Cruz and Inter were forced to play over half an hour with 10 men. Toldo's first task was to pluck a D'Agostino free kick out of the air.
David Suazo replaced Figo, but Udinese boss Pasquale Marino introduced fourth striker Simone Pepe. Floro Flores wasted a golden opportunity from substitute Eremenko's assist.
Asamoah had dozens of chances and he eventually helped get Udinese level deep into stoppages. Pepe's corner kick took a touch off Giandomenico Mesto and as Asamoah was ready to head in, the ball took a deflection off Cordoba to send Toldo the wrong way.
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