Inter comes from behind to win Milan derby

Inter Milan has won the bragging right of the Milan derby beating fellow city rival AC Milan 4-2 at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.

With the win, Inter has moved to the top of the Serie A league table dislodging title rivals, Juventus, which lost 2-1 to Hellas Verona on Saturday on goals difference.

Lazio, who defeated Parma 1-0 earlier in the day, moved a point closer to the leader on 53 points.

The derby lived up to expectation as the affair gave the fans value for their money.

With Lautaro Martinez and Alessandro Bastoni out of the action through suspension, Alexis Sanchez partnered up front with Romelu Lukaku while Diego Godin stepped in beside Stefan de Vrij, while Christian Eriksen dropped to the bench.

In the game that also had Inter number one goalie, Samir Handanovic ruled out by a hairline fracture to his little finger, Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned for AC Milan after illness alongside Danish defender, Simon Kjaer, with Ismael Bennacer also coming back into the squad after serving out his ban.

Stefano Pioli’s 4-4-1-1 formation that put Hakan Calhanoglu in a more advanced support role had Ante Rebic, the first goal scorer operating from the wide.

The formation gave AC Milan an aggressive start with Ibrahimovic holding off Godin at a point in the game to volley over.

Calhanoglu also struck the post after his shot skipped past Marcelo Brozovic, beating Daniele Padelli as well.

AC Milan opened the goal account when Ibrahimovic jumped above Godin to knock down a pass which Inter defense failed to clear out, allowing Rebic to tap in undisturbed at the back post.

Ibrahimovic became the oldest ever goalscorer in a Serie A Milan Derby aged 38 years and 129 days, after doubling Milan’s lead from Kessie’s corner with a thumping header at the back post.

Inter came out strong in the second interval, completing the comeback with two goals in two minutes.

It started with Brozovic reducing the deficit with hit a fantastic left-foot volley into the tiny gap between Donnarumma and the upright from Candreva’s deflected cross. A minute later, Sanchez beat the offside trap and released a pullback for Vecino to drill home from 10 yards for 2-2.

The game went Inter’s way as Vrij’s diving header from a corner gave Inter the lead. Inter sealed it with another thumping header from Lukaku from Victor Moses’ cross for 4-2.

 

 

Written by: Oladipupo Mojeed