Fantastic goalkeeping hold Inter

Tenacious second half defending by Bologna, and some superb reflex saves from goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano, meant the champions endured a frustrating evening having dominated possession throughout.

Samuel Eto'o came closest when he hit the bar from close range, but a tremendous one-handed save by Viviano from Wesley Sneijder's 73rd minute free-kick was the story of their night.

Failure to win isn't the end of the world for Rafael Benitez in his first Serie A game in charge, but he certainly would have expected to begin his tenure with three points.

In the last four seasons, each season started with a draw as Inter were always a side that starts off slowly. Inter President Moratti always jokes about this and says if it brings him the championship as usual, he is happy.

Bologna sacked their coach Franco Colomba on the eve of the match and replacing him for this game with Paolo Magnani, who was in charge of the club's youth team until less than 24 hours before kick-off.

Although Magnani is unlikely to keep the role on a permanent basis, he can be satisfied with his only match in Serie A.

His side started brightly and almost went ahead in the 14th minute when a defensive mix-up between Lucio and Julio Cesar, who were not on the same wavelength, saw the ball for Henry Gimenez, who lifted his shot over the crossbar from the edge of the area with an open goal to aim at.

Daniele Portanova should have done better with a free header from a corner in the 20th minute but he sent the ball straight at Julio Cesar from six yards out.

Gimenez missed the home side's next chance in the 41st minute when he shot wide after being found by Marco Di Vaio on the edge of the area.

Inter had lacked ideas in the first half and Benitez decided to hand Brazilian forward Coutinho his debut midway through the second half. Milito was substituted with Coutinho as Bentitez noticed Milito was still not 100%.

There was suddenly more life to the Nerazzurri's game and Wesley Sneijder forced an excellent save out of Emiliano Viviano from a direct free-kick in the 73rd minute.

The Italy international goalkeeper made a reflex save to deny Samuel Eto'o moments later as Inter raised the tempo in search of a winning goal.

Eto'o missed another excellent chance in the 76th minute when he delayed too long in a central position and Miguel Britos recovered to clear the last moment of danger for the Bologna defence.

Bologna will be encouraged by an excellent defensive display against an attack that tore defences across Europe to shreds last season. But for Inter, they will have to dust off the summer cobwebs ahead of their next Serie A game with Udinese.