With their fight for Serie A survival receiving a small boost in recent weeks via three consecutive draws, Parma got off to a slow start here.
Chasing a third league triumph in five years, the visitors started off positively, setting the tempo and crafting some early chances on goal.
The early pressure paid off as Inter opened the scoring on the quarter-hour mark. Federico Dimarco’s ball across goal was poked into the path of Matteo Darmian at the far post, and the defender expertly dispatched his first-time finish.
Parma were not without their chances, however, as Yann Sommer was called into action midway through the half to get down low to save from Dennis Man.
However, just as the home side looked to finish the half strongly, Inter doubled their lead in the 45th minute.
The Parma backline was split with one simple pass by Darmian to release Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and as the Armenian bore down on goal, he squared for Marcus Thuram. The Frenchman looked to have scooped his effort over the bar, but the ball dropped into the net.
Ex-Inter player and now Parma boss, Cristian Chivu, rang the changes ahead of the second half, making a treble switch.
This sparked a change in momentum, and one of those introduced, Adrian Bernabe, repaid the faith in his Romanian coach after he collected the ball on the edge of the box and buried his finish into the bottom corner.
And the comeback was then complete for the Crusaders minutes later through another substitute. This time, it was Jacob Ondrejka making the scoresheet, as he drove at the Inter defence before his deflected effort looped over Sommer.
After letting their two-goal lead slip, Simone Inzaghi’s men tried to regain momentum and restore their advantage, but Parma held on for what could be a vital point in their bid for survival.
A fourth consecutive draw for Chivu’s side gives them a four-point cushion over the relegation places - albeit having played a game more than the three teams below them.
Meanwhile, Inter’s slip-up has given Napoli the opportunity to move within a point of top spot when they travel to Bologna on Monday.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Matteo Darmian (Inter Milan)