· 2 min readIn this Milan vs Inter match, I analyse the key tactical moments, individual performances and turning points of the game.
The Derby della Madonnina came around on matchday ten, with both Milan and Inter still some way off their best. Milan were coming off heavy defeats against Bournemouth and Bologna.
Inter, meanwhile, had beaten Venezia 2-0, but both goals were own goals from an opposition side that had actually defended well against a team lacking creativity. An evenly balanced derby was expected, perhaps even a rather uneventful one. I had predicted a draw, but the first ten minutes quickly turned those expectations upside down.
Milan made an incredibly efficient start.
In the fourth minute, Diego Moreira received the ball on the right, cut inside onto his left foot and crossed for Pulisic, who was completely unmarked and headed into the corner. Six minutes later, another blow. From a cleverly worked corner, Rabiot arrived at the near post, made a movement as if he was going to deliver a cross and ended up putting the ball straight into the net. An extraordinary goal, although there was a bit of luck involved. Two goals in ten minutes against their biggest rivals. Not even the most optimistic Milan fan could have expected such a start.
Inter needed to respond and began to take control of the game. Carlos Augusto was having a very difficult time dealing with Diego Moreira, but at the other end, Chivu’s side were finding space to get into the box. In the 22nd minute, from a corner, Akanji headed the ball at the near post and left it perfectly placed for Bastoni to head home and pull one back. Inter grew even stronger and forced an unbelievable save from Maignan in the 33rd minute, when Spence arrived in the box and struck the ball first time. The goalkeeper stretched out his arm and somehow kept it out.
Milan had practically stopped shooting, but found the net again. In the 43rd minute, Diego Moreira delivered a brilliant free-kick. The ball went straight through the gap left by Andy Diouf, who had jumped before the other players in the wall and ended up opening up the route to goal. An absurd goal to round off a first half in which Milan scored three times from five shots, while Inter had nine attempts, six of them on target. The home side’s efficiency was unbelievable.
After the break, Inter continued to have the ball, but the danger gradually faded. Carlos Augusto found himself unmarked inside the box in the 56th minute, but tried to head a ball that he might have been better off attacking with his foot. Barella also came close to scoring, but Pavlović made a crucial interception. Shortly afterwards, Thuram headed straight at Maignan, who made another save. Milan’s goalkeeper had already made six saves, while Josep Martínez was yet to make a single one.
Chivu took far too long to make changes. First, he replaced midfielders with midfielders, without really changing the team’s approach. It was only in the 82nd minute that he brought on Pio Esposito and Bonny, adding two more forwards alongside Thuram, as well as Dimarco to improve the quality of the crosses. But Inter were no longer creating any real danger and spent the final minutes trying to get into the box without much success.
Milan won 3-1, with Diego Moreira directly involved in all three goals and Maignan proving decisive when his team needed him.
Post-match
Inter had more possession, created more in the first half and arguably deserved to score earlier, but lacked efficiency and, above all, the ability to find solutions after the break. In a derby, Milan were far more clinical.
