Inter vs AC Milan Review
AC Milan made a potentially significant statement in the Serie A title race by securing a 1-0 win against Inter Milan in the Derby della Madonnina, extending their unbeaten streak in the league to 11 matches (7 wins, 4 draws). Both teams, closely competing for the Scudetto, entered the match just two points apart in the standings. However, the early moments did not reflect this tight margin, as Inter started more aggressively. Marcus Thuram skillfully positioned himself to connect with Federico Dimarco’s cross, delivering a diving header that Mike Maignan expertly saved. Then, Francesco Acerbi’s header from a Hakan Çalhanoğlu corner struck the post, providing a fortunate escape for AC Milan.
As the first half progressed, Inter clearly maintained their more fluid style of play, with Maignan called upon once again to make an excellent save, deflecting Lautaro Martínez’s right-footed volley just before halftime. However, Alexis Saelemaekers nearly caught them off guard, blasting a left-footed shot over the crossbar after Davide Bartesaghi’s cross was cleared into his path. Shortly before the break, Christian Pulisic came even closer to giving Milan an unexpected lead, narrowly missing with a speculative long-range effort.
Despite Inter’s dominance in the first half, it was Milan who broke the deadlock just nine minutes into the second half when Pulisic scored after Yann Sommer could only parry Saelemaekers’ shot into the American’s path, allowing him to calmly finish. Encouraged by their advantage, Massimiliano Allegri’s team continued to find their rhythm, with Youssouf Fofana next testing Sommer following a setup from Saelemaekers.
However, the initial sense of confidence turned into anxiety as the final 20 minutes approached, following Strahinja Pavlović’s foul for stepping on Thuram’s foot inside the penalty area, resulting in a penalty. Çalhanoğlu, who had successfully converted all eight of his previous penalties for club and country in 2025, prepared to take the spot kick, causing the predominantly blue crowd at San Siro to hold their breath in anticipation of an equalizer. Yet, Maignan remained composed, diving to his favored bottom-left corner and swiftly deflecting the rebound with lightning-fast reflexes.
In the end, Allegri’s team had done enough to claim bragging rights and remain unbeaten in six matches against the Nerazzurri (four wins, two draws). This victory elevated them to second place in the standings, surpassing their city rivals, who fell to fourth after their three-game winning streak in Serie A came to an end.
