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Julio Cruz gave Inter a potentially Scudetto-winning victory at Torino, but it was an extremely hard slog.
Gianni De Biasi made his return to the Toro bench and a team with five defeats in its last six games and the second worst home record in Serie A. He couldn't face a tougher debut, as the Nerazzurri knew a victory would put them six points clear at the top following Roma's 1-1 fumble with Livorno.
Walter Novellino was sacked on Wednesday and the new boss had to do without Gianluca Comotto, Matteo Sereni, Cesare Natali, Daniele Franceschini and the suspended trio of David Di Michele, Salvatore Lanna and ex-Inter star Alvaro Recoba. Patrick Vieira sat out a ban with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Luis Figo joining the long-term injury list.
Worryingly for the Granata, they hadn't picked up a point on home turf with Inter for 14 years, losing six on the trot since the 2-0 victory in February 1994.
Toro had some dangerous counters in the opening phases, wasted by poor finishing from Motta. On 13 minutes Roberto Stellone hit a fierce snapshot that whistled past the upright and soon after Alessandro Rosina did the same.
It was all Torino early on, as Julio Cesar smothered a Stellone header and Inter were under intense pressure from the right flank. On 22 minutes Marco Di Loreto got a glancing header to Rosina's corner kick and the ball missed Hernan Dellafiore's tap-in at the back post by inches.
As is often the case, Inter took the lead with their first real shot on goal. A Mario Balotelli corner kick found Julio Cruz's diving header at the near post for his first goal since December, but Dellafiore allowed the striker to get away from him.
Julio Cesar captured Rosina's snapshot, but it was so nearly 2-0 three minutes later when Balotelli's deflected volley bounced past a static Mario Alberto Fontana and thumped the inside of the far post.
Rosina's free kick curled over, but Roberto Mancini surprised many when he substituted Balotelli for Cesar in a tactical decision just 37 minutes into the match.
Vincenzo Grella's defensive howler almost handed Esteban Cambiasso the ball 10 yards out, but the Torino back line were able to recover.
At the other end Stellone got the ball into the back of the net after a Nicolas Burdisso mistake, but it was disallowed for a handling offence. Douglas Maicon horribly wasted a promising counter with an audacious volley.
Grella's effort was deflected for a corner after the restart and from the resulting corner there was a foul on the goalkeeper. Inter were playing a 4-5-1 system now and only attacked on the counter, but Toro didn't give in and Nikola Lazetic hesitated at the back post, allowing Maicon to charge down the shot.
Roberto Mancini changed again to a 4-4-2 with David Suazo on for Esteban Cambiasso. The Granata wasted a golden opportunity with an audacious Aimo Diana backheel when he had time to turn.
Rosina ballooned over from the D and Javier Zanetti had to tackle substitute Nicola Ventola as he was lining up the shot.
Burdisso had to nod over the bar as Rosina's cross found no teammates at the back post. From the resulting corner Diana fired off target from another Rosona assist.
Torino's best chance so far on 82 minutes saw Burdisso stumble and allow Ventola clear shot on goal from seven yards, but Julio Cesar spread his body to smother with his lower stomach from point-blank range.
Rosina went off on a blistering counter and Stankovic was booked for hacking him down from behind. From the resulting Rosina free kick, Diana's header was charged down almost by accident off Burdisso's cheek.
Yet Inter should have gone 2-0 up in the final minute. Maicon got down the right flank and crossed for Cesar, who incredibly managed to nod wide from a yard!
Toro poured forward in stoppages with three Rosina crosses intercepted at the last second by Inter, but on the counter more poor finishing meant the game was still in the balance.
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