Inter Milan extended their lead at the top of the Serie A to nine points after being held to a draw by ten-man Parma.

Valeri Bojinov put the hosts in front in the 54th minute before a dominant Nerazzurri levelled through substitute Mario Balotelli five minutes later.

Parma had to play with 10 men after Francesco Valiani was sent off with 18 minutes remaining for a second booking.

But the defending champions were unable to make the most of their superiority and had to settle for a point.

Inter coach Jose Mourinho opted not to change his team too much, despite the game at Napoli coming up on Sunday, keeping first-choice strikers Diego Milito and Samuel Eto'o in the starting XI.

Only the defence was altered with Marco Materazzi earning a rare start.

The momentum the Nerazzurri have built up in the last eight unbeaten Serie A games therefore remained and they looked lively from the outset.

Goran Pandev tested Antonio Mirante with a low shot from the distance in the second minute but the Parma goalkeeper was equal to the effort.

Parma threatened only once in the first half with Julio Cesar having to clear Bojinov's left-footed strike from the edge of the area shortly after.

Pandev was Inter's dangerman and almost broke the deadlock in the sixth minute.

His left-footed strike from the edge of the area towards the far post forced Mirante to make a fine save.

Midway through the first half, Inter should have gone in front when Thiago Motta's header from Esteban Cambiasso's cross was saved by Mirante.

Inter continued to surge forward and shortly after the half-hour mark Motta sent Milito through for the first clear chance of the match but the Argentinian's left-footed shot was cleared by Mirante.

Before half-time, Lucio's curled free-kick proved an easy save for Mirante.

Parma came to life after the re-start and Julio Cesar made two good saves to deny Valiani's 20-yard strike and Christian Zaccardo's close-range effort.

But Julio Cesar could do little as Parma took the lead soon after.

Inter failed to clear a Parma corner and the ball fell to Bojinov who fired into the back of the net from close range.

Parma's joy was short-lived as Balotelli, who had replaced Motta two minutes earlier, equalised just before the hour mark.

The hosts failed to clear a corner leaving Balotelli at the heart of the six-yard box to strike past Mirante.

Parma almost regained the lead in the 65th minute. Jonathan Biabiany got past Materazzi and surged inside the area before firing a right-footed strike which was met by a key save from Julio Cesar.

Valiani's sending-off almost proved costly for the hosts as three minutes later Inter should have gone in front.

Balotelli latched onto McDonald Mariga's through-ball but his right-footed strike from eight yards went wide of the far post.

Deep in injury time, Maicon fired wide from inside the area with Inter's last chance.