Inter needed a highly controversial own goal and deflected Ricardo Quaresma strike to defeat Catania 2-1 after Sulley Ali Muntari's dismissal.

Jose Mourinho was hoping for his first Serie A victory after the 1-1 draw at Sampdoria and finally had Quaresma at his disposal. The Portuguese international was thrown straight in at the deep end in a very attack-minded formation, while Patrick Vieira and Marco Materazzi returned from injury.

The most important comeback was for Catania, as Coach Walter Zenga spent 22 years at Inter as fan, youth product and goalkeeper. The fans welcomed him too, as they unfurled a giant 'WZ1' in the stands and a banner that read 'We don't forget our heroes.' Javier Zanetti presented him with a shirt marked 473 - the number of games he played for the club.

Albano Bizzarri pushed a Maxwell angled drive on to the side-netting and from the corner Zlatan Ibrahimovic's glancing header went over. The Catania goalkeeper flapped a cross off the head of Marco Materazzi, but Giuseppe Mascara curled a free kick over the bar.

Ibra and Mario Balotelli turned headers off target, but Martinez hesitated in the D and allowed the Inter defence to crowd him out. Bizzarri slightly clumsily flapped at a Sulley Ali Muntari snapshot and Quaresma delighted the crowd with his trademark 'trivela' move - a flicked cross with the outside of his right foot to get extraordinary bend on to it.

Bizzarri needed an extraordinary reaction save when a trivela was dummied by Balotelli so it fell straight to Muntari, but the goalkeeper performed a fantastic one-handed block from less than six yards.

Materazzi deflected a Martinez snapshot out for a corner. Incredibly, Catania took the lead just before half-time! The surprise starter, Gianvito Plasmati, flew to get his head to Giacomo Tedesco's chipped cross! It was the 25-year-old's first top flight goal, having spent most of his career in Serie C.

The lead lasted less than 60 seconds before Quaresma marked his Serie A debut with a goal, albeit aided by a massive deflection. His trivela got an extra bend off Giuseppe Mascara's foot to surprise Bizzarri at the near post.

Moments later a scuffle exploded in midfield as Tedesco crumpled to the ground following a clash with Muntari. The Ghanaian was trying to shake off the Catania player and flung out his arm to strike Tedesco in the face. The referee discussed it with his assistant and showed Muntari a straight red card, leaving Inter with 10 men for the entire second half.

Maicon's cross-shot was deflected just wide by Stovini, but at the half-time whistle another scuffle broke out as some of the Inter players tried to confront Tedesco, guilty of over-reacting to the contact. It took several minutes to get the players down the tunnel and Zenga also intervened to calm everyone down.

Javier Zanetti replaced Luis Figo for the second half and Inter came out fighting and took the lead in very controversial circumstances. A corner kick was touched off Cristian Terlizzi's head and ricocheted off the inside of the far post into Bizzarri's arms. The referee and linesman said the ball had entirely crossed the line and assigned the goal, but the footage remains inconclusive.

There was concern soon after as Nicolas Burdisso was accidentally kicked in the face by Martinez during a corner kick and appeared to momentarily lose consciousness. He was able to get up after a few minutes and resume play.

Stovini cut short a Maxwell mazy run, but from the corner Burdisso blazed over from a yard! He seemed to get into the way of Vieira, who was in a better position to tap in.

Substitute Michele Paolucci had a shot charged down and Esteban Cambiasso replaced Balotelli for a stronger midfield. Maicon went on a splendid solo run from midfield and rode three tackles before curling inches past the far post.

Catania began to pile on the pressure in the final 15 minutes with a series of corners and crosses into the box. However, substitute Amantino Mancini went on a classic counter-attack with Ibrahimovic, including the Brazilian's backheel flick, but Ibra fired straight at the 'keeper when clear on goal.

Moments later the two combined again and this time Ibra's volley at the back post was on target, but Bizzarri was there with a magnificent one-handed reaction save.

There was still time for a scare in the final minute, Silvestri's dipping screamer from 20 metres just going over the top corner. Materazzi then needed a double intervention to deny Pablo Ledesma in the box.