Inter’s title charge stalls after throwing away points at Parma

Inter Milan stumbled in their bid to retain the Serie A title after throwing away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at Parma on Saturday, giving Napoli a chance to cut the champions’ league lead to a single point.

Goals in the first half from Matteo Darmian and Marcus Thuram appeared to have sent Inter on their way to moving six points clear at the top of the division ahead of their Champions League quarter-final with Bayern Munich.

But Adrian Bernabe halved the deficit for Parma on the hour mark with a daisy cutter from distance, and the hosts were level nine minutes later when Jacob Ondrejka’s strike was deflected past Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer.

Moments before Ondrejka’s leveller, Massimiliano Farris, in charge of Inter in place of suspended coach Simone Inzaghi, had substituted key players Lautaro Martinez and Hakan Calhanoglu.

Those substitutions, as well taking off star wing-back Federico Dimarco seconds before Bernabe’s first-ever Serie A goal, left Inter toothless as they tried to regain the lead.

Inter now need to hope in-form Bologna, who are fourth and chasing Champions League qualification, stop Napoli on Monday night after an awful second half performance at the Stadio Ennio Tardini.

Saturday’s draw ruined a special day for Thuram, whose 17th goal of the season came in his first match at Parma, where his father Lilian Thuram played in an all-star team which won the UEFA Cup, the Italian Cup and the Italian Super Cup in 1999.

Thuram was born in Parma two years before and was playing in front of his dad, who watched his son’s wild mishit somehow double Inter’s lead on the stroke of half-time.

Inter take on injury-ravaged Bayern in Germany on Tuesday with Inzaghi’s side bidding to repeat the Serie A, Champions League and Italian Cup treble achieved 15 years ago under Jose Mourinho.

Alessandro Bastoni is a doubt for Bayern after being forced off at half-time and being seen with a large ice pack on his left knee, while Inter’s defensive fragility will also be a worry for Inzaghi after his team again let the opposition back into the game instead of pressing home the advantage.

Parma meanwhile are battling relegation and a fourth straight draw moved Cristian Chivu’s side four points above Empoli, who sit just inside the relegation zone and host Cagliari on Sunday.

Earlier, Como took a big step towards Serie A safety by winning 3-1 at regional rivals Monza and pulling 10 points clear of the bottom three.

Jonathan Ikone, Assane Diao and Mergim Vojvoda netted for 13th-placed Como, while rock-bottom Monza look set for the drop after an 11th straight match without a win.