Inter held by Brescia

Inter remain four points behind leaders Milan after Caracciolo cancelled out Samuel Eto'o's 18th minute opener for Inter with Julio Cesar denying the home side a dramatic winner from the penalty spot in the last minute.

Inter substitute Ivan Cordoba was sent off for hauling down Eder inside his own area, but Caracciolo hit a tame penalty to the keeper's right and Cesar dived to swat round his post at the Stadio Mario Rigamonti.

Caracciolo was then sent off deep into stoppage time for kicking the ball away having being booked earlier on for dissent as both teams ended with 10 men in a frantic finish to the night.

Milan will move seven points clear of their city neighbours if they can defeat Bari at the San Siro on Sunday.

The reigning European champions - who will try to retrieve a 1-0 home loss at Bayern Munich in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday - only have themselves to blame for failing to put the game to bed after Eto'o's opener.

The Cameron striker converted from close range after he swivelled to fire home Andrea Ranocchia's header from Wesley Sneijder's corner.

Caracciolo showed his menace when he lifted a lob over the bar on 33 minutes after Cesar had raced from his line, but it needed a superb last-ditch tackle by Jonathan Zebina to rescue the situation before half-time with Goran Pandev through on goal and set to pull the trigger.

Ceser again denied Caracciolo on 50 minutes after he escaped the attention of Dejan Stankovic, but only the post denied Inter on 56 minutes when Sneijder smashed a shot from 25 yards off the frame of the home goal.

Pandev then saw home goalkeeper Michele Arcari make fines save to deny Inter the second before Brescia found the net on 85 minutes.

Alessandro Diamanti's corner was astonishingly headed towards his own goal by Cordoba and Caracciolo reacted quickest to nod the ball beyond Cesar for a merited equaliser.

Second-bottom Brescia are 10 points clear of Bari in the table, but the Lombardy side remain three points from safety with Lecce and Catania two points ahead of them.

Catania are three points better off in 16th place with Brescia facing a trip to Juventus a week on Sunday.