The 236th Derby della Madonnina concluded with a victory for Internazionale as they secured a 2-0 away win over AC Milan at San Siro on Wednesday. The goals came early in the match from Edin Dzeko (37 years old) and Henrikh Mkhitaryan (34 years old), establishing Inter’s dominance and strengthening their chances of reaching the Champions League final.
In the eighth minute, Inter Milan took the lead when Edin Dzeko skillfully volleyed a corner kick delivered by Hakan Calhanoglu. They continued their strong performance, and in the 11th minute, Henrikh Mkhitaryan extended their lead with a well-placed shot from inside the box, assisted by Federico Dimarco. AC Milan’s defense struggled, with Calhanoglu hitting the post in the 16th minute with a powerful strike from outside the box.
AC Milan faced difficulties in their attack due to the absence of the injured Rafael Leao, while Denzel Dumfries effectively contained Theo Hernandez, limiting his impact. In the 18th minute, AC Milan was forced to make a substitution after Ismael Bennacer got injured, and Junior Messias replaced him.
Referee Jesus Gil Manzano initially awarded a penalty to Inter in the 31st minute when Simon Kjaer fouled Lautaro Martinez in the box. However, after consulting the VAR and reviewing the incident on the monitor, Manzano reversed his decision. Although Kjaer’s contact with Martinez was minimal, the penalty was rightfully canceled.
According to Opta, Inter became only the fourth team in Champions League history to establish a two-goal lead within the first 11 minutes of a semi-final match. The previous occurrences were by Juventus in 1999, Manchester United in 2009, and Manchester City in 2022.
In the first half, Inter Milan created numerous scoring opportunities, recording 11 shots with three on target. On the other hand, AC Milan struggled to regain momentum and failed to register any shots on target out of their five attempts.
The second half saw an improved AC Milan side, generating scoring chances. Junior Messias missed a shot wide in the 51st minute, but Inter had an opportunity to score their third goal when Edin Dzeko faced AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan in a one-on-one situation in the 53rd minute. However, Maignan made a brilliant save, preventing further damage. Sandro Tonali struck the outside of the post in the 63rd minute, as AC Milan’s coach Stefano Pioli made several substitutions, bringing in Tommaso Pobega for Brahim Díaz and Pierre Kalulu for Davide Calabria.
Inter also made substitutions, introducing Joaquín Correa and Roberto Gagliardini in the 78th minute, replacing Martínez and Calhanoglu, respectively. Despite both teams making changes, the match concluded with a 2-0 victory for Inter Milan, giving them a significant advantage heading into the second leg of the semi-final.
A Sense of Déjà Vu
Thirteen years ago, when Jose Mourinho guided Inter Milan to the Champions League final, few believed in their chances. However, they defied expectations and defeated Bayern Munich, securing the most prestigious club honor in European football.
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