Inter Milan fight back from goal down to draw with AC Milan on Mancini's return

Inter Milan held AC Milan to a draw in their Milan derby as they fought back from a goal down on Roberto Mancini's return as manager.

Mancini, who guided Inter to three league titles before leaving in 2008, saw his side fall behind to Jeremy Menez's superb side-footed volley in the 23rd minute. But Inter, who stay ninth, levelled with Joel Obi's low shot from 18 yards in the 61st minute.

Both sides sought a win and Stephan El Shaarawy wasted a great chance for AC Milan, hitting the bar, before Inter's Mauro Icardi hit the post, The BBC reported.

Endeavour from the sides, who share the same ground, was evident but since Mancini's departure six years ago, both have become Serie A also-rans. Mancini has since been employed by Manchester City and Galatasaray but the side he has inherited from the sacked Walter Mazzarri is a shadow of the one he built in three years from 2005.

In his last Milan derby, Mancini's side included Patrick Vieira, Esteban Cambiasso and Hernan Crespo, with Clarence Seedorf, Andrea Pirlo and Kaka offering quality for the Rossoneri.

Such glittering names were sparse on this occasion, with Chelsea loanee Fernando Torres peripheral for Milan, themselves only a point better off in seventh.

Mancini has warned that he does not hold a magic wand to bring a return to the dominance he once cultivated at the Nerazzurri, but a dream start to his tenure almost arrived when Icardi raced on to a loose Sulley Muntari pass in midfield, only for Diego Lopez to produce a smart save.

Menez then deftly guided a delightful side-foot volley past the dive of Samir Handanovic.

It was a moment of true quality, a fifth goal of the season for the summer signing from Paris St-Germain and earned Filippo Inzaghi's side a half-time lead.

But the meeting of the two sides is fiercely competitive. Inter, with 76 wins, have just two more derby victories than their rivals.

Obi fired through the legs of a defender from the edge of the area to level the game before El Shaarawy ran on to a pass to smash against the woodwork at the other end, the report added.