AC Milan Earns Derby Victories, Narrowing Inter’s League Lead with Estupinan’s Goal
The Serie A title race remains competitive as AC Milan triumphs in the Derby della Madonnina, defeating Inter Milan 1-0. This victory marks AC Milan’s first league double over their city rivals since the 2010/11 season, significantly impacting Inter’s momentum as they faced their first league defeat since the reverse fixture in November.
Inter Milan’s last win in the derby came back in April 2024, and after a frustrating six-match winless streak against AC Milan, hope dimmed early in the match when goalkeeper Yann Sommer gifted the ball to Christian Pulisic. The American forward quickly set up Luka Modric for a shot from 20 yards, which narrowly missed the target.
Despite only registering that single attempt in the first half hour, AC Milan’s defense managed to hold firm. Inter struggled to create clear chances, with their offensive efforts resulting in just two shots from Federico Dimarco; one blocked and the other over the bar.
It was Henrikh Mkhitaryan who sparked Inter’s offense with a powerful run into the Milan penalty area. However, his shot was directly at Mike Maignan, giving the goalkeeper an easy save. This moment did ignite Inter’s intent, leading to Youssouf Fofana threading a pass to Pervis Estupinan, who struck decisively, placing his shot high into the net, giving Milan the lead they held onto through the match.
As the first half drew to a close, AC Milan sought a second goal, with Alexis Saelemaekers and Adrien Rabiot creating opportunities, while Nicolo Barella attempted a shot that went wide. Although the match stats suggested a defensive battle, Inter emerged from the half-time break determined; Piotr Zielinski tested Maignan early, while Mkhitaryan set up a chance for Dimarco, who unfortunately missed the target from close range.
Milan continued to press for a decisive second goal, with Rafael Leao attempting to curve a shot along the goal line, and Fofana’s powerful hit was fumbled by Sommer, who managed to recover in time.
A driving run by Denzel Dumfries seemed promising for Inter, yet the final touch evaded him and the match began to lose its rhythm, especially following injuries to Rabiot and Alessandro Bastoni which halted play. Despite a late push for an equalizer from Cristian Chivu’s squad, Inter’s efforts were thwarted, and two penalty claims went unanswered.
This outcome reduces the point difference between the top two teams to just seven as they enter the final stretch of the season with 10 matches remaining. AC Milan celebrated a much-needed sixth win out of 11, while Inter’s remarkable eight-match Serie A winning streak concluded, and they have only managed two wins in their last six across all competitions.
Match Highlights and Stats
Pervis Estupinan was celebrated as the Man of the Match, highlighting his pivotal role in the game and the implications of AC Milan’s win. With the title chase intensifying, fans will keep a close eye on the performances of both teams heading into the concluding fixtures of the Serie A season.
