MILAN: Inter Milan’s Ivan Perisic scored with almost the last kick of the game to snatch a 2-2 draw against AC Milan in Serie A under new coach Stefano Pioli after their neighbours twice led through Suso in Sunday’s derby.
Perisic turned the ball in at the far post to spare the blushes of his captain Mauro Icardi who had missed two simple chances which could have changed the course of the game.
Antonio Candreva also scored a spectacular goal for Inter who made an encouraging start after Pioli was appointed last week with Frank de Boer having been fired after 85 days.
Milan moved back into third spot level on 26 points with AS Roma, who lost 2-1 to a last-minute penalty at Atalanta but stay second by virtue of a better goal difference.
Inter are ninth.
Fourth-placed Lazio, who have 25 points, beat Genoa 3-1.
“My players can sleep well as they showed excellent spirit and gave a good performance, even if they didn’t get the win,” said Milan coach Vincenzo Montella.
“I think the glass is half full, because the standings look good from our point of view.”
Inter dominated the first half and should have gone ahead when Antonio Candreva’s mis-hit shot found Icardi unmarked in front of goal but the Argentine, who has never scored against Milan in the derby, completely miskicked the ball.
Milan took advantage in the 42nd minute when Giacomo Bonaventura broke out of his half and found Suso who cut inside his marker and scored with a low shot into the far corner.
Inter levelled eight minutes after the restart when a quick throw-in found Candreva who unleashed an unstoppable shot that flew past Gianluigi Donnarumma from 30 metres.
Former Genoa and Liverpool forward Suso put Milan back in front five minutes later with another superbly taken goal.
The Spaniard collected Carlos Bacca’s pass, skipped past Miranda and slipped the ball into the far corner.
Icardi should have levelled minutes later when he got clear of the Milan defence but failed to connect properly and Donnarumma saved.
The final half an hour was a stop-start affair as Milan sat on their lead but Inter grabbed another equaliser from a corner in the 92nd minute.
Jeisson Murillo rose to head the ball on to the far post and Perisic, who had missed several good chances, did the rest.
Earlier, Roma lost more ground to Juventus, who are now six points clear at the top on 33, when they were sunk by a last-minute penalty in a 2-1 defeat at Atalanta.
Roma dominated the first half in foggy Bergamo and went ahead when Diego Perotti converted a penalty awarded for handball by Rafael Toloi five minutes before halftime.
