Having needed two stoppage-time goals to see off Fiorentina at the weekend, Inter will have hoped for an easier night against rock-bottom Venezia. However, they were once again given a rough ride in the first period and were lucky not to be behind at the break.
The hosts should have been ahead inside the opening 10 minutes, but Akor Adams could not direct his header at goal, instead putting it past the post.
That was not the last time they threatened either, as after Ange-Yoan Bonny had a shot smothered at the other end by former Inter youth player Filip Stankovic, current Inter goalkeeper Ivan Provedel needed to push a low Adams drive around the post.
Just before the half-hour mark, Venezia thought they had taken the lead when Lion Lauberbach fired home from close range, albeit from a tight angle, but the German forward was narrowly offside.
There was another major scare for Inter before the break too, when the Nerazzurri shot-stopper needed to push Lauberbach’s attempt onto the crossbar with a stunning save.
After the restart, there were more chances for Venezia, whose lack of goals this term meant their inability to convert was perhaps no surprise.
Adams was heavily involved as he broke down the right and crossed for Gianluca Busio, but the substitute could not keep his shot down as he hammered over Provedel’s crossbar, before the striker saw another strike chalked off for offside.
The away side, who came into the game as Serie A’s top scorers with 23 goals, showed signs of life when Marcus Thuram headed narrowly past the post.
And the Frenchman was ultimately heavily involved as Inter broke the deadlock, with his low cross turned into his own net by Matias Moreno.
Luck was clearly not on Venezia’s side on the night, which was clear when Carlos Augusto’s header took a heavy deflection off Redouane Halhal beyond his own goalkeeper.
Ultimately, those two rather fortunate goals were enough for Inter to pick up points.
Winning when not at your best is what champions do, and Inter are already the team to beat as they aim to defend their Scudetto.
Venezia, meanwhile, showed plenty to give new head coach Davide Nicola encouragement, but this was their ninth defeat in 10 competitive games as they remain stranded in the bottom three.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Carlos Augusto (Inter Milan)