The 12th matchday of Serie A delivered drama, tension, and a statement victory in the Milan Derby. AC Milan edged Inter 1-0 at San Siro, thanks to a decisive strike from Christian Pulisic in the 54th minute, in a game where the Nerazzurri were left ruing missed opportunities.
Derby Drama: Inter’s Misfortune, Milan’s Precision
Inter dominated large spells of the match, hitting the woodwork twice and earning a penalty midway through the second half. However, Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s spot-kick was brilliantly saved by Mike Maignan, keeping Milan’s slender lead intact. Despite relentless pressure, Inter failed to break through, leaving their coach Cristian Chivu frustrated but defiant:
“We showed quality, focus and maturity on the pitch. Unfortunately, we hit the woodwork twice, and then they capitalised on our first mistake. But that’s football. The important thing is to get back up, learn from our mistakes and keep improving, because there’s still a long way to go this season,” said Chivu.
Historic Run for Milan
This victory extends Milan’s unbeaten streak in the Derby della Madonnina to six consecutive matches across all competitions (4W, 2D)—their best run since the period between November 2002 and April 2005, when they went ten games without defeat.
The Rossoneri now sit just two points behind AS Roma at the top of the table, and Pulisic emphasized the team’s ambitions:
“For us, you know, we’re not looking at, you know, right, where we want to be at the top of the table the whole season. It’s when it comes down to it, we have to be there, so we take it game by game. Big performances like this against big teams helped us a lot. Yeah, sends a message to hopefully the rest of the league, but we just have to keep going and finding consistency.”
Roma Hold the Summit
Earlier in the weekend, AS Roma defeated Cremonese 3-1, ensuring they remain sole leaders after sharing the top spot with Inter last week. With Roma leading, Milan and Napoli chasing, and Inter plus Bologna lurking close behind, the Serie A table is extremely tight—just three points separate first from fifth.
Chivu acknowledged the pressure: “Of course, losing a derby and suffering our fourth defeat in twelve matches is too much, but fortunately the table is still tight, and we’re in it.”
With only a handful of points separating the top five, predicting a favorite for the Scudetto seems impossible. Roma’s consistency, Milan’s resurgence, and Inter’s determination promise a thrilling battle ahead.
