Inter Milan 1-2 AC MIlan: Rossoneri stun Nerazzurri to claim incredible win in Derby della Madonnina thriller
Matteo Gabbia, a lifelong supporter of AC Milan, netted a decisive goal in the 89th minute, leading the Rossoneri to a 2-1 victory over Inter Milan in the Derby della Madonnina, thus ending a six-match losing streak at the San Siro.
Following a notably disappointing start to the season, Milan's manager Paulo Fonseca found himself under significant pressure regarding his position, having only taken charge in the summer.
In a tactical shift, he opted for a 4-4-2 formation in an attempt to outmaneuver the Nerazzurri. This strategy appeared effective initially, as his team took the lead within the first ten minutes.
Christian Pulisic capitalized on a mistake by Henrikh Mkhitaryan, driving towards the Inter defense and scoring past a stranded Yann Sommer.
Simone Inzaghi’s squad took some time to find their rhythm, but a half-volley from Lautaro Martínez that soared over the bar seemed to invigorate their performance.
The reigning champions built on this momentum, equalizing before the half-hour mark through Federico Dimarco, who found the bottom corner after being set up by Martínez.
From that point, Inter gained the upper hand, and only a remarkable fingertip save from Mike Maignan kept the hosts from taking the lead before halftime.
The break proved timely for Fonseca, as his team was struggling towards the end of the first half. Rejuvenated, Milan quickly threatened to regain the lead just after the restart.
Emerson Royal delivered a superb cross from the byline to Rafael Leão, whose powerful header was expertly tipped over by Sommer. The Swiss goalkeeper was called into action once more to thwart Tijjani Reijnders, whose shot took a dangerous deflection towards the bottom corner before Sommer intervened.
As the clock ticked down to 20 minutes, the match became more dynamic, with Martínez unleashing a first-time volley that tested Maignan's reflexes.
At the opposite end, Sommer executed a clever save to thwart Leão following a rapid counterattack from the Rossoneri, while Tammy Abraham missed the target from a favorable position on the inside right.
With fatigue setting in, it appeared that this exciting encounter was destined for a draw. However, Gabbia had different plans, elevating above the defenders to deliver a powerful header into the corner from Reijnders’ cross, reinvigorating the Rossoneri’s campaign.
SportsLigue