Jose Mourinho's first Serie A game in charge of Internazionale ended in a draw at Sampdoria on Saturday night.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic - whose two goals on the final day of last season earned Inter their third successive Scudetto - opened the scoring in the 33rd minute.
But Gennaro Delvecchio netted a deserved equaliser for the hosts in the 68th minute, and neither side could find a winner in a pulsating finale at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.
For half an hour it looked like the defending champions were going to struggle to even come away with a point as Sampdoria flew out of the traps.
Antonio Cassano swung a shot just over the crossbar in the sixth minute before Paolo Sammarco tested Julio Cesar with a shot on the turn which the Inter goalkeeper spilled before collecting at the second attempt.
Inter posed no threat at all until the 33rd minute when a perfectly weighted pass from Luis Figo sent Ibrahimovic clear but the Swede's first touch was not ideal and Pietro Accardi was able to recover and deflect the ball behind for a corner.
The danger was not over there, though, and as Samp failed to clear their lines, Mancini lifted the ball over the defence to Ibrahimovic.
And while the Samp defenders waited for an offside flag which never came, the gangly hitman slotted a left-footed finish into the far corner.
There was a renewed determination about the home side in the second half as they took the game to their visitors.
And their reward arrived in the 68th minute when Delvecchio levelled the score after a prolonged spell of pressure.
Ibrahimovic gave away a free-kick on the touchline which was taken quickly by Hugo Campagnaro and the ball found its way to Marco Padalino on the wing.
Padalino's cross was met at the far post by Daniele Franceschini and, although his header did not have the power to beat Julio Cesar, Delvecchio followed in to nudge the ball over the line.
Minutes later Cassano had a chance to put the Blucerchiati ahead but he could not take it.
Delvecchio played a sweeping pass perfectly into the stride of the Bari-born striker, but it took him three touches to get the ball under control and, by that time, Marco Materazzi had recovered the lost ground and was able to clear the danger.
Both sides felt they could now win the game which made for an entertaining final 20 minutes.
Dejan Stankovic tested Samp goalkeeper Antonio Mirante with a header at one end before Angelo Palombo stung Julio Cesar's palms with a powerful 20-yard drive at the other.
Luis Jimenez headed over from point-blank range for Inter, but Mourinho's men had to settle for a draw.
