Inter Milan vs AC Milan Review
Matteo Gabbia scored a 89th minute goal to secure a 2-1 victory for AC Milan over Inter Milan in the Derby della Madonnina, ending a six-match losing streak for the Rossoneri at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza against their rivals.
Following a disappointing start to the season, Milan manager Paulo Fonseca faced significant pressure on his position after only joining the club in the summer. In a tactical twist, he opted for a 4-4-2 formation to try to outmaneuver the Nerazzurri. This strategy paid off early, as his team took the lead within the first 10 minutes. Christian Pulisic capitalized on a mistake by Henrikh Mkhitaryan, driving towards the Inter defense and scoring past the helpless Yann Sommer.
Simone Inzaghi’s team took some time to find their rhythm, but a half-volley from Lautaro Martínez that soared over the goal seemed to energize their play. The defending champions capitalized on this momentum, equalizing before the 30-minute mark with a goal from Federico Dimarco, who found the bottom corner after being set up by Martínez. From that point on, Inter gained the upper hand, and only a fantastic fingertip save from Mike Maignan kept the ‘hosts’ from taking the lead before halftime.
The break came at a crucial moment for Fonseca, as his team was struggling towards the end of the first half. After regrouping, Milan quickly threatened to regain the lead just a minute into the second half. Emerson Royal delivered a superb cross from the byline to Rafael Leão, but his powerful header was expertly saved by Sommer. The Swiss goalkeeper had to stay alert again to stop Tijjani Reijnders, whose shot took a nasty deflection towards the bottom corner before Sommer intervened.
With 20 minutes left in the match, the game became more dynamic, and Martínez unleashed a first-time volley that tested Maignan’s reflexes. At the opposite end, Sommer made a clever save to thwart Leão following a rapid counterattack from the Rossoneri, while Tammy Abraham missed a good opportunity by shooting wide from a favorable position on the right. As fatigue set in, it seemed like the exciting match was destined to end in a draw. However, Gabbia had different plans, soaring above the rest to powerfully head Reijnders’ cross into the corner, revitalizing the Rossoneri’s season.
