AC Milan 1-1 Inter: Derby spoils shared

Date: 23rd November 2014 at 10:41pm
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AC Milan drew 1–1 against Inter in Sunday evening’s Derby della Madonnina clash. The result leaves both teams where they had started, rooted in mid-table and bemoaning missing out on an important three points.

Jeremy Menez put AC Milan in front with a brilliant volley before Joel Obi equalized for Inter on the hour mark, rescuing a point in Roberto Mancini’s Serie A return.

Inter possessed the ball in the opening minutes of the game, even if seldom creating much danger. In fact, it was Sulley Muntari who presented Inter with their first chance on seven minutes. The Ghanaian’s errant pass just outside his penalty area went straight to Mauro Icardi; with the Inter striker bearing down on goal, Diego Lopez sprinted off his line to deny Icardi.

AC Milan mostly operated on the counter against Inter, sitting deep and attempting to take advantage of spaces behind the Nerazzurri defense. The tactic paid off on 23 minutes. Stephan El Shaarawy picked the ball down the left and whipped in a cross for Menez. The Frenchman side-footed the ball on the volley and past the fully extended Samir Handanovic.

Despite their 1–0 lead, AC Milan retained their shape and continued to play on the break. Inter failed to ask too many questions of the Rossoneri defence, with Adil Rami and Philippe Mexes showing great vigilance and composure. Ultimately, AC Milan were able to see out their lead into half-time.

The second half resumed in very much the same way the first half had gone. Inter kept pouring forward but failed to conjure up the bit of quality to unlock the staunch Rossoneri defence. Mancini’s men did however find a small opening on 53 minutes. Zdravko Kuzmanovic found himself deep inside the AC Milan penalty box and attempted find a team-mate with his cut-back. Lopez read the pass well however and parried it away, which gave way to a chaotic scramble inside the six-yard box. The Rossoneri eventually cleared the ball but only to Icardi just outside the area, who disappointingly skied his effort well over the bar.

Inter’s determination eventually paid off on 61 minutes. Cristian Zapata’s poor clearance ended up at the feet Obi, just at the top of the AC Milan box; the Inter midfielder shuffled his feet and set himself up before squeezing a left-footed shot at Lopez’s near post.

El Shaarawy had the chance to settle the affair on 75 minutes, when he ran in behind Juan Jesus to latch on to Giacomo Bonaventura’s pass. Unfortunately the Rossoneri forward can only watch his shot crash against the crossbar. Icardi would himself be denied by the woodwork few minutes after, unable to guide Fredy Guarin’s cross home.

The final chance came from Andrea Poli on 93 minutes, but only for the substitute to see his deflected effort trickled agonizingly wide of the the post.

In the end the game finished 1–1, which — albeit lacking in technical proficiency and glamour — was rich in intensity and suspense.

 

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