Ivan Perisic and Danilo D'Ambrosio struck late to seal a 2-1 win over Bologna and inject life into Inter Milan's desperate bid to end a four-year wait for Champions League football.

Bologna, who lost striker Mattia Destro to injury in the opening minutes, looked to be heading for their fourth consecutive stalemate at the San Siro.

But Inter were rewarded for a dominant display to claim a 16th win that moved them up to fourth at two points behind Roma, who occupy the third and last Champions League qualifying spot.

Inter, whose last Champions League appearance was in 2012, suffered a blow in the opening minutes when striker Mauro Icardi was forced off after twisting his knee while trying to reach Eder's angled strike towards the back post.

But his absence did not overly curtail the hosts and the inspiring Perisic nodded the hosts into a 72nd minute lead following D'Ambrosio's knock-on from a corner.

D'Ambrosio's cool volley four minutes later looked to have wrapped up the points but Bologna ensured a nervous finish when Luca Rizzo pounced on Geoffrey Kondogbia's poor backpass to Juan Jesus to help set up Franco Brienza for a last gasp strike.

Roberto Mancini adopted a 4-2-3-1 formation for the visit of Roberto Donadoni's men but was forced to tinker after French midfielder Kondogbia replaced Icardi on nine minutes.

Bologna created little in the opening period although Godfred Donsah spurned a great chance on the quarter hour when he fired wide with the goal at his mercy after being set free down the right.

Diminutive striker Eder did well to get his head to Adem Ljajic's weighted delivery soon after, but Bologna 'keeper Antonio Mirante was alert to the danger.

Perisic was a constant threat down the left and the Croatian's pinpoint cross for Marcelo Brozovic was only blocked yards from goal on the half hour.

Ljajic then brought a fine reflex save from Mirante with a rasping shot and the 'keeper had to look lively on the stroke of half-time when Joao Miranda attemped a cheeky flick on Brozovic's weighted ball following a corner.

Moments later Mirante got down low to smother Yuto Nagatomo's attempted cross after the Japanese left-back got deep, and at another corner came out to tip the ball to safety as Miranda rose to head.

It took until just after the hour for Inter to threaten again, but after cutting in from the right side of the area Perisic's curler was wide of the far post.

Minutes later Emanuele Giaccherini broke through the middle for Bologna but failed to outpace Gary Medel, who soon bundled the striker off the ball.

Mancini was getting frisky and with 20 minutes on the clock replaced Ljajic with Rodrigo Palacio.

Two minutes later Perisic was rewarded for his night's work, the stylish Croatian nodding into a virtually empty net from D'Ambrosio's header following a corner.

Inter could have had their second when Palacio outmuscled his marker to set Perisic on a run down the left, but Eder narrowly failed to make contact from close range.

But the hosts doubled their lead on 76 minutes when D'Ambrosio, left unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box, calmly volleyed past Mirante and into the top of the net.