Inter drew 0-0 with Saint-Etienne at the San Siro on Thursday night in the Europa League.
It was dreary stalemate between the Nerazzurri and Les Verts in Milan, but leaves the Italians confident of eventual progression to the knock-out stages as they reach the halfway point of the group stage.
In the first ever competitive meeting between the two it was a match seriously lacking entertainment or attacking intent, the Nerazzurri seemingly spending the majority of the first 45 attempting to find some fluidity with a weakened team.
However, despite coach Walter Mazzarri resting several starters from their Serie A campaign they did manage to create a couple of opportunities for striker Mauro Icardi, only for the Inter number nine to blaze high and wide of Stephane Ruffier’s goal.
With it clear that the Ligue 1 side would regard a point in Milan as a positive result they threatened even less as an attacking outfit and fashioned just a few half-hearted efforts until the final minute of the opening half.
That moment drew an impressive save from second-choice goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo as Franck Tabanou nearly took advantage of an unnecessary foul by Fredy Guarin 30 yards from goal when his powerful drive was tipped onto the bar.
After a largely lacklustre first-half Les Verts did begin the second far more positively, but when Inter were forced to withdraw Yann M’Vila 10 minutes in the introduction of Hernanes saw them play with more purpose.
On 63 minutes the Nerazzurri finally tested Ruffier, a deep cross from Guarin evading everyone waiting in the box and falling to Zdravko Kuzmanovic who did well to control instantly on his chest and hit a low half-volley that was tipped around the Saint-Etienne post.
With the match suddenly sparking into life Carrizo was twice forced to defend the Inter goal by batting away to powerful drives from Christophe Galtier’s team, but after that flurry of activity the match returned to its previous cautious nature .
Inter now travel to the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on November 6, comfortable in the knowledge that even a draw against the French side would be enough to secure their passage to the knock-out stages although a victory will ensure top spot with two games still to play.
Follow Kevin Pogorzelski on Twitter: @rabbitrabbiton
