Inter stutter at start

Milan midfielder Kaka pumps his fists in celebration after scoring from a penalty during their Serie A match against Genoa at the Luigi Ferraris stadium in Genova on Sunday.Photo: AFP

Inter Milan suffered a miserable start to their Italian title defence on Sunday when they were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Udinese and finished the match with 10 men.
In contrast, city rivals AC Milan, the European champions, enjoyed a 3-0 win at promoted Genoa with Brazilian ace Kaka hitting two goals.
However, it's Juventus who sit proudly on top of the table after marking their return to Serie A with a 5-1 demolition of Livorno on Saturday with French striker David Trezeguet grabbing a hat-trick.
Inter went into the match at the San Siro without defender Marco Materazzi as well as influential midfielder Patrick Vieira who were both injured.
But they were ahead after just nine minutes when Dejan Stankovic beat the offside trap and stroked the ball past Antonio Chimenti.
Inter should have added to their total but they were rocked when goalkeeper Julio Cesar was sent off in the 57th minute for handling the ball outside his area.
The champions held on until the second minute of injury time when Udinese equalised in bizarre circumstances when Ivan Cordoba put through his own goal as Gerald Asamoah closed in for the visitors.
"We aren't at the top of our match fitness, but it is very difficult to play in this heat," said Stankovic.
"We could have put the result under lock and key in the first half, but that is football. With the red card we started to struggle."
Kaka scored twice in the closing minutes of the first half, the second from a penalty, as Milan ruined Genoa's return to the top flight after a 12-year absence.
Massimo Ambrosini had put Milan in front in the 21st minute.
In Sunday's late match, last season's runners-up Roma, buoyed by their Super Cup triumph over Inter last week, beat Palermo 2-0 in Sicily with first half goals from Philippe Mexes and Alberto Aquilani.
Promoted Napoli were first day losers sinking to a 2-0 defeat at home to Cagliari in their first Serie A match since 2001.
Alessandro Matri and Naples-born Pasquale Foggia, from the penalty spot, were on target for the Sardinian side.
At the Stadio Tardini, Catania coach Silvio Baldini had to be dragged away after a confrontation with Parma's Mimmo Di Carlo in the 2-2 draw.
Baldini was sent off for dissent, but before leaving the field he apparently kicked out at his Parma counterpart.
"Baldini should be ashamed of himself," said Parma president Tommaso Ghirardi.
"If he was my coach, I'd fire him on the spot. In 10 years of football I have never seen anything like it. If we don't behave appropriately, how can we expect the fans to?"
Massimo Loviso scored a late consolation for Livorno.
Earlier Saturday, Lazio, who were third last season, and Torino fought out a 2-2 draw.