SERIE A leaders Inter Milan picked up where they left off with a narrow victory over Chievo this lunchtime in the first match after the winter break.
Mario Balotelli netted the only goal of the game early on to lift the Nerazzurri 11 points clear of city rivals AC Milan.
As predicted, Goran Pandev was given his debut by Inter boss Jose Mourinho after signing from Lazio despite having been frozen out of the first-team picture at the Stadio Olimpico for the last four months.
But, after winning a ruling to have his contract with Lazio terminated just before Christmas, the 26-year-old found himself thrown straight into the action.
And he thought he had netted his first goal for the Serie A champions only 12 minutes into his debut.
The lively Sergio Pellissier, who had already drawn a save out of Julio Cesar, thought he should have had a penalty when he was bundled over in the Inter area but the referee waved play on and a speedy break from the visitors ended with Wesley Sneijder playing in Balotelli in acres of space.
The striker, who has been linked with a move away from the San Siro, saw his initial shot saved by Stefano Sorrentino.
He beat the keeper with his second effort, which was hacked away by Mario Yepes straight to Pandev, who headed the ball into the corner of the net.
However, replays confirmed the ball had already crossed the line and it was Balotelli’s goal.
Maicon then drew a decent save from Sorrentino with a speculative effort from 30 yards but Patrick Vieira could not test the keeper from 20 yards as he sliced a shot horribly wide.
Diego Milito was the next to try his luck after he was cleverly played in by Maicon but, off balance, he could not direct his shot on target.
Twelfth-placed Chievo had their moments in the first half as well and Elvis Abbruscato stretched on the six-yard line but could only poke an effort that did not stretch Julio Cesar.
Sneijder was then denied by a last-ditch tackle from Yepes while defender Cristian Chivu, who has not scored for four years, embarked on a jinking run but his shot was deflected over.
From the resulting corner, Lucio’s header was cleared off the line, although the referee decided the Brazilian was pushing his marker and blew for a foul.
There was a nasty clash of heads between Pellissier and Chivu in the opening seconds of the second half.
Chivu could not continue and was replaced by Marco Materazzi but a groggy Pellissier was able to carry on. The Romania defender was taken to hospital.
And the striker was then denied by Julio Cesar from Chievo’s clearest opening. He controlled the ball well on his chest but could not get a clean shot away.
Abbruscato then had possibly an even better chance but, unmarked, he could only poke the ball past the post from close range.
Pandev earned a warm round of applause from the Inter fans when he was replaced by Ricardo Quaresma 67 minutes in.
Both sides struggled to create clear-cut chances from then on but Chievo felt hard done by in the last of six minutes of stoppage time when Quaresma appeared to punch the ball off Yepes’ head in the area.
Their appeals for a penalty, though, fell on deaf ears and Inter held on.
Main topics: Italian Serie A
Sub topics: Chievo, Inter Milan, Italian Serie A, Match Report, Serie A 2009/10
