Juventus dropped points at home for just the second time this season as Inter Milan came from behind and earned a deserved 1-1 draw in Serie A tonight.

Carlos Tevez had given the league leaders a fifth-minute advantage, but Inter's spirit was rewarded when Mauro Icardi levelled in the second half.

There had already been a flurry of early action before Tevez opened the scoring, with the Argentine supplying Claudio Marchisio with a golden chance which he dragged wide from 12 yards out.

Icardi was wasteful from an equally promising position at the other end following a Danilo D'Ambrosio cross, but Tevez could not possibly miss when Arturo Vidal squared to him inside the six-yard box, after both the Chilean and Fernando Llorente had starred in a skilful build-up.

Vidal was in the mood and twice forced Samir Handanovic into good saves with drives from outside the box, while Paul Pogba also called the Inter stopper into action as Juve dominated the remainder of the first half.

Lukas Podolski, who completed his loan switch from Arsenal last weekend, was introduced for Inter eight minutes into the second half as Roberto Mancini searched for a way back into the match.

While the German World Cup winner was limited to a couple of blocked shots on his debut, his arrival off the bench did coincide with the visitors improving as Hernanes went close before Icardi's equaliser.

Fredy Guarin slipped the Italian international striker in down the right channel, and he neatly tucked the bull under Gianluigi Buffon from a tight angle on 66 minutes for his 10th goal of the campaign.

Inter survived an Andrea Pirlo free kick before pushing for a winner as Guarin shot wide and Icardi was denied by Buffon, shortly after missing from close range following a counter-attack led by Podolski.

They abandoned their quest for victory when Mateo Kovacic was sent off four minutes from time for a two-footed lunge on Stephan Lichtsteiner, as each side settled for a point which takes Milan 11th and Juventus one clear of Roma at the top.