Stefan de Vrij’s stoppage-time strike rescued a dramatic point for Inter as they held AC Milan to a 1-1 draw in a thrilling Derby della Madonnina on Sunday.
Despite falling behind just before halftime, Simone Inzaghi’s men fought relentlessly and finally found the equalizer in the dying moments, preventing what could’ve been a third consecutive derby defeat.
📝 Match Summary
Inter missed the chance to go top of the Serie A table, staying second with 51 points, while Milan were left frustrated after failing to hold onto their lead.
- AC Milan Goalscorer: Tijjani Reijnders (45+1′)
- Inter Goalscorer: Stefan de Vrij (90+3′)
⚽ Key Moments
- Disallowed Goals (1st Half):
Inter thought they’d taken the lead twice, but Federico Dimarco and Lautaro Martinez both had goals ruled out for offside. - 45+1′ – Goal! (Reijnders 1-0 Milan):
After a powerful strike from Rafael Leão was parried by Yann Sommer, Tijjani Reijnders reacted quickest, smashing the rebound into the roof of the net to give Milan the lead. - Woodwork Frustration (2nd Half):
Inter hit the post three times:- Yann Bisseck‘s header thumped the bar.
- Marcus Thuram volleyed against the post.
- Denzel Dumfries‘ towering header hit the upright in stoppage time.
- 90+3′ – Goal! (De Vrij 1-1 Inter):
Just when Milan thought they had the win, Nicola Zalewski chested down a cross from Bisseck, setting up Stefan de Vrij, who fired a first-time shot past Mike Maignan to snatch a dramatic late equalizer.
📊 Match Stats
- Possession: Milan 48% | Inter 52%
- Shots: Milan 9 (4 on target) | Inter 18 (7 on target)
- Corners: Milan 3 | Inter 8
- Fouls: Milan 12 | Inter 14
- Woodwork Hits: Inter 3
⭐ Player of the Match: Stefan de Vrij (8.2/10)
De Vrij was rock-solid defensively and proved to be Inter’s hero with his late equalizer. His calm finish in a high-pressure moment summed up his experience and composure.
🔍 Tactical Analysis
- AC Milan:
Manager Stefano Pioli set his team up to absorb pressure and hit Inter on the counter, which worked well in the first half. However, Milan’s inability to control the game in the second half invited relentless pressure. - Inter:
Simone Inzaghi’s tactical switches, including bringing on Zalewski and pushing Dumfries higher, paid off. Inter’s persistence and dominance in the second half were crucial in breaking down Milan’s defense.
📈 Data Debrief: Inter Break Their Derby Slump
- First Derby Draw Since 2022:
This was the first Milan derby to end in a draw since March 2022 (0-0 in the Coppa Italia semi-final). - Inter’s Woodwork Woes:
Inter hit the woodwork three times—the second time they’ve done this in a derby, with the first instance dating back to September 2019. - Milan’s Home Struggles:
Milan have now won just one of their last 10 home matches against Inter in all competitions (D4, L5), keeping only two clean sheets during this run. - Away Record Snapped:
Inter’s run of seven consecutive away clean sheets in Serie A ended. The last time they conceded away from home was against Udinese in September.
🔮 What’s Next?
- AC Milan:
Will be disappointed not to secure the win but remain in the title race. They’ll need to bounce back quickly in their next fixture to stay in contention. - Inter:
Though they missed the chance to go top, the late equalizer maintains their momentum. All eyes will be on Napoli’s match later to see if Inter slip further behind in the title chase.
💬 Post-Match Reactions
- Simone Inzaghi (Inter Coach):
“We deserved more, especially with the number of chances we created. But credit to the team for fighting until the last minute. This point could be crucial.” - Stefano Pioli (Milan Coach):
“It’s frustrating to concede so late. We controlled the game well but lacked composure in the final minutes. We must learn to manage these situations better.”
🎯 Final Score:
AC Milan 1-1 Inter
