DOWN TO 10 men and a goal down, Jose Mourinho's Inter-Milan still managed to claim the win.

What is more, the Serie A champion's come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Catania at the San Siro on Saturday was thanks to an own goal from defender Christian Terlizzi.

Gianvito Plasmati headed the visitors in front against the run of play on 42 minutes, a strike that was greeted with silence as Catania fans had been banned from travelling as part of a nationwide crackdown on hooliganism.

However, Inter levelled almost immediately when Serie A debutant Ricardo Quaresma's attempted cross took a big deflection off Giuseppe Mascara on its way into the net.

The hosts got another lucky break three minutes into the second half when Terlizzi's header was adjudged to have gone in off the post, although it was not clear on television replays whether the ball had crossed the line.

Inter's Ghana midfielder Sulley Muntari had been shown a straight red card on the stroke of half-time for shoving his hand into the face of Giacomo Tedesco, who fell theatrically.

Catania boss Walter Zenga was given a warm reception on his return to the San Siro, where he kept Inter's goal in Serie A for 11 years between 1983 and 1994.

The win puts Inter top with four points from two games before the rest of the Serie A programme yesterday (this morning Singapore time), when AC Milan visited Genoa and Juventus hosted Udinese.

Fantastic

'It's three important points for us. It was a fantastic effort from the players in 10,' Inter boss Jose Mourinho told Sky television.

'The team is working together a lot. I think that's how you win championships. Sometimes you win 3-0 or 4-0, other times you win like today.'

Inter will next travel to Panathinaikos for their Champions League opener tomorrow.

Earlier, Fabrizio Miccoli struck twice as Palermo beat injury-hit AS Roma 3-1 at home to give new coach Davide Ballardini a winning start.

Miccoli cancelled out Brazil striker Julio Baptista's eighth-minute opener with a stunning right-footed shot into the top corner from the edge of the box 12 minutes later.

The forward ran on to a Fabio Simplicio through-ball and chipped home in the 57th before Uruguayan Edison Cavani sealed the win in the 73rd after another smart pass from Simplicio.

'We played below our capabilities at some times, while in others we did quite well without converting the chances,' said Roma coach Luciano Spalletti.

'There is little to complain about, as we lost by a clear margin in terms of the result, but that did not reflect what I saw in the match overall.'

Without regulars Simone Perrotta, Juan, Philippe Mexes, Mirko Vucinic and captain Francesco Totti, Roma's injury woes worsened when Italy midfielder Daniele De Rossi came off before half-time after suffering a knock to the back of his head.

Last year's runners-up Roma, who were held 1-1 by Napoli two weeks ago, have one point from two games, meaning they go into tomorrow's European match against Romania's Cluj in poor form.

Palermo have three after the 3-1 defeat at Udinese on the first day that cost former boss Stefano Colantuono his job. -- Wire Services.

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