Despite only two goals scored, the Derby della Madonnina between Inter and AC Milan played on Sunday was one of the most exciting and eventful ones to watch, even if it was a 1-1 draw. The Nerazzurri saw the comeback of Hakan Calhanoglu in the starting lineup, but the Turkish midfielder is still looking to find his best form and Inter were not playing their best football in the first half when AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders scored the opening goal at the San Siro.
The second half saw a different Inter coming back from the dressing room, as the Nerazzurri were able to hit the post three times and everything seemed to go well for the team coached by Sergio Conceicao until the last-minute equalizer scored by Stefan de Vrij.
Here’s a look at the major moments from Sunday’s game.
Moment of the game
It seemed to be another good day for AC Milan fans as the side coached by Conceicao were three minutes away from winning their third Derby della Madonnina of the season after the one in September and the Supercoppa Italiana final on Jan. 6. However, Inter’s late equalizer with defender De Vrij gave an important point to the Nerazzurri for the title race as Inter’s last defeat in the league remains the game against AC Milan back in September.
Man of the match
Inter announced the signing of Nicola Zalewski from AS Roma only 20 hours before the kickoff of the Milan derby and the Polish international was the man of the match as he provided the deciding assist to De Vrij in the stoppage time. The assist of Zalewski, who arrived on loan with a buy option to Inter, immediately became one of the most iconic moments in history of the Milan derby, as the former AS Roma winger became the unexpected hero of the night with a lovely chested pass inside the box.
What the result means for Inter
Avoiding the second defeat of the season against the city rivals was the best news of the day for Inzaghi’s team that will play this Thursday against Fiorentina, making up the match that was suspended last December after Edoardo Bove’s collapse on the pitch in the 17th minute of the same game. The tie against Fiorentina will finally see both title contenders, the Nerazzurri and Napoli, with the same games played in the Italian Serie A, ahead of the final stint of the season.
What the result means for Milan
The Rossoneri must be upset after being on the verge of winning their third Derby della Madonnina of the season. However, it was another solid performance against their city rivals, showing the good qualities of this roster, which too many times lacked intensity and quality, especially against smaller sides. While Conceicao is waiting to see his new striker Santiago Gimenez on the pitch, new signing Kyle Walker made his debut on Sunday, proving to be one of the most experienced right backs around Europe. It is important for this team to find consistency against smaller teams as well, as it is the only way to achieve the target of securing a top-four position in the table.
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