Milan seize derby advantage with 3-1 victory over Inter

Milan made a flying start before resisting an Inter fightback to win the Derby della Madonnina 3-1 and extend their recent superiority over their city rivals.

Christian Pulisic headed Milan in front after four minutes, while Adrien Rabiot doubled the lead six minutes later. Alessandro Bastoni pulled one back for Inter in the 22nd minute, but Diego Moreira restored Milan’s two-goal advantage just before half-time.

The result lifts Milan to 21 points in fourth place. Inter remain second on 25 points, level with leaders Lazio, who can move clear at the top if they beat Cagliari tomorrow.

Milan’s opening goal came after Moreira beat Carlos Augusto on the right before delivering a precise cross. Pulisic rose above the defence to head the ball into the net and put the home side ahead.

Moreira was involved again for the second goal, taking a short corner and receiving the return on the edge of the penalty area. Rabiot met it with a superb first-time left-footed finish into the far corner.

Inter threatened an immediate response when Yann Bisseck headed a corner towards goal in the 12th minute, but Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan kept it out. Moreira continued to unsettle the visitors’ defence with his movement.

Inter gradually regained control and reduced the deficit when Hakan Calhanoglu’s corner reached Manuel Akanji at the near post. Akanji headed the ball across goal, allowing Bastoni to nod it into the net.

The visitors came close to an equaliser in the 35th minute. Carlos Augusto’s low cross found Dejan Spence close to goal, but Maignan produced an excellent reflex save to preserve Milan’s lead.

Moreira then completed an outstanding individual display. With two minutes of the first half remaining, he struck a long-range free-kick over the wall and into the net, having already supplied both of Milan’s earlier goals.

Inter continued to search for a way back after the interval, but their finishing lacked accuracy. Calhanoglu’s dangerous cross in the 56th minute was met by Carlos Augusto, whose header went wide, while Moreira almost scored again two minutes later after his cross travelled beyond Musa and reached Rafael Ramos.

Rabiot headed over from a Luka Modric corner in the 65th minute, and Milan’s defence blocked a close-range effort from Nicolo Barella soon afterwards.

Inter made their first substitutions in the 72nd minute, bringing on Piotr Zielinski and Henrikh Mkhitaryan for Calhanoglu and Andy Diouf.

A penalty appeal followed in the 74th minute when the referee awarded Inter a spot-kick for a suspected handball by Mattia Gila. After a video review, he overturned the decision a minute later, with the ball shown to have struck the Milan defender’s chest.

Inter introduced Ange-Yoan Bonny and Francesco Pio Esposito in the 82nd minute, while Milan responded with defensive changes, sending on Davide Bartesaghi, Senkoun Diarra and Ardon Jashari.

Inter pressed late on, but Milan held firm to secure their third win in their past four league matches, with one draw during that run.