Maignan saved a penalty, and Pulisic scored to help Milan beat Inter 1-0.
Pulisic opened the scoring in the 54th minute after a rebound, and Maignan saved Calhanoglu's penalty in the 72nd minute. Inter dominated the first half with 10 shots and 15 touches in the penalty area but lost 0-1; Milan overtook Inter to move into second place in the table.
In the 72nd minute at San Siro, VAR confirmed Pavlovic had fouled Thuram. Calhanoglu took the penalty, but Mike Maignan guessed the right direction and made a diving save. Eighteen minutes earlier, Christian Pulisic had positioned himself perfectly to tap the ball into an empty net, giving AC Milan a 1-0 victory over Inter in a tense derby match.
Inter dominated, Maignan controlled the tempo of the game.
Inter entered matchday 12 as Serie A's top scorer, averaging more than two goals per game, while Massimiliano Allegri's Milan opted for a pragmatic approach. The first half clearly illustrated this contrast: Inter controlled possession, pressed relentlessly, and attacked relentlessly.
In the first 45 minutes alone, Inter unleashed 10 shots and touched the ball 15 times inside the Milan penalty area. Acerbi's header hit the post, Martinez's powerful volley, and Dimarco, Sucic, and Barella pushed the attack forward with rapid runs. But everything was stopped by Maignan, who made two excellent saves, denying clear chances.
Milan responded sparingly. Pulisic and Saelemaekers exploited space on the flanks to take long-range shots, forcing Sommer to be on alert. The first half ended goalless, with Inter's xG at 0.45 compared to Milan's 0.23.
Pulisic's decisive moment
At the start of the second half, Inter continued to press forward, but it was Milan who struck first. In the 54th minute, Saelemaekers' long-range shot was parried by Sommer. Pulisic was in the right place at the right time, calmly tapping the ball in to open the scoring 1-0 – a goal from one of Milan's most effective attacking moves in the second half.
VAR, penalty, and Maignan's handball.
Inter's reaction after conceding the goal was a fierce onslaught. Barella, Thuram, and Martinez constantly swapped positions to create space in the midfield. Dimarco and Carlos Augusto pushed forward on the flanks, while Chivu reinforced the attack with Bonny and Esposito.
In the 72nd minute, VAR confirmed that Pavlovic had fouled Thuram inside the penalty area. Calhanoglu took responsibility, but Maignan continued to be the anchor. The French goalkeeper's precise save kept Milan ahead.
Inter continued to push forward for the remainder of the match. Crosses from the wings, Sucic's speedy runs, and Bastoni's energetic play failed to penetrate the red-and-black "wall." Allegri opted for a more controlled approach: substituting Leao, bringing in Loftus-Cheek to reinforce the midfield, maintaining a tight defensive block, and slowing down the pace of the game.
The final stretch is dramatic and the results affect the standings.
Injury time saw Inter throw everything into play. Diouf and Bonny had further chances, but either shot over the bar or were blocked by the Milan defense. When the final whistle blew, Milan's half erupted. These three points put Milan ahead of Inter to second place in the standings, marking a turning point as the season entered its crucial stage of determining the league's order.
Selective statistics
| Index | Value |
|---|---|
| Score | Inter 0-1 Milan |
| Score a goal | Pulisic 54' |
| Penalty | In the 72nd minute, Calhanoglu shot; Maignan made the save. |
| Inter finished the game (first half) | 10 |
| Touching the ball inside the Milan penalty area (Inter, first half) | 15 |
| xG first half | Inter 0.45 - 0.23 Milan |
Main developments
- First half: Inter controlled the game, creating many chances; Acerbi's header hit the post, Martinez's dangerous volley; Maignan made two saves.
- 54th minute: Saelemaekers takes a long-range shot, Sommer parries it away; Pulisic taps in the ball to give Milan a 1-0 lead.
- 72nd minute: VAR confirms Pavlovic fouled Thuram. Calhanoglu takes the penalty but it is saved by Maignan.
- Towards the end of the match: Inter pressed with crosses and bursts of speed from Sucic; Diouf and Bonny had chances but failed to capitalize.
The Derby only had one goal, but with Inter's rotations, Milan's pragmatism, and Maignan's performance, the 90 minutes at San Siro left the taste of a great battle: Milan won with composure, Inter lost with regret, and the Scudetto race became even more unpredictable.
