Inter Milan preserved their unbeaten record in Serie A this season as they came from behind to draw 1-1 with Chievo Verona at the San Siro on Saturday.

Inter's run of 19 games without defeat seemed on the verge of ending when Chievo defender Davide Mandelli volleyed the visitors into the lead from a corner in the 73rd minute.

Ten minutes later, however, 20-year-old striker Obafemi Martins equalised when he fired home from close range after Alvaro Recoba's long-range effort bounced loose in the box.

The result, which was Inter's 14th draw in 20 games, meant the Italian giants remained fourth in the table on 32 points, 12 behind leaders Juventus who take on Brescia on Sunday.

Despite starting with a strike trio of Christian Vieri [Images], Martins and Recoba, Inter struggled to threaten the Chievo goal in a sterile first half.

Their clearest chance arrived on the stroke of halftime, when Recoba curled a free kick against the post and team mate Dejan Stankovic blasted the rebound over an open goal.

Vieri did put the ball in the net shortly after the restart but it was ruled offside and it was Chievo who took the lead through Mandelli's fine strike.

Martins's equaliser raised the possibility of another Inter comeback like that against Sampdoria earlier this month, when they overturned a 2-0 deficit in the 88th minute to win 3-2.

Instead, it was Chievo who almost netted a late winner when ex-Inter winger Luciano hit the post five minutes from time.

Earlier, Bologna rose to ninth with a 1-0 win over Cagliari in a match they dominated, with striker Claudio Bellucci forcing Gennaro Iezza into reflex saves twice before halftime.

Cagliari started the second half more brightly but in the 70th minute midfielder Leonardo Colucci found Bellucci unmarked on the left of the area and he blasted the winner past Iezza.

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