Palermo 1 - 1 Inter Milan: A missed opportunity

A 10-man Inter failed to overcome a scrappy Palermo side on Saturday as the match ended in a 1-1 draw. In light of the results from the rest of the league, Mancini's side are left with alot of "what ifs" - especially when one considers that a win would've launched Inter to the top of the Serie A table this week.

Ivan Perisic provided Inter's opening tally off a nice low cross from Jonathan Biabiany (yes, him!), but the lead lasted only a bit longer than five minutes before Palermo's Alberto Gilardino netted the equalizer for his side.

As a result, a 1-1 draw with Palermo on matchday 9 is pretty disappointing. There's not really any other way to slice the facts there. However, if Inter can begin to replicate their performance in the second half of this match on a regular basis, the team will certainly be headed for more satisfying results in the future.

I hate saying a team was unlucky not to win a match - or to say that this team or that team *deserved* to win a match. But, Inter had their chances in the match's closing minutes, as both Fredy Guarin and Biabiany forced Palermo keeper Stefano Sorrentino into a pair of clutch saves to keep the scoreline level.

The side as a whole will probably wish they had done better with their chances, as the match really was theirs for the taking at the end. But that type of play should be encouraging to the coach, the players, and the fans alike. Hopefully Inter can channel that focus and energy into tomorrow's match against Bologna.