Maignan saves key penalty as Milan climb to second, and Roma go top in Serie A
AC Milan secured a dramatic 1-0 win over Inter in the Derby della Madonnina at San Siro, leapfrogging their city rivals in the Serie A standings and closing in on league leaders Roma. The decisive moment came in the 54th minute, when Christian Pulisic finished from close range after Yann Sommer could only parry Alexis Saelemaekers’ angled shot into his path. This marks Pulisic’s fifth league goal, cementing his role as a key attacking figure in Milan’s campaign.
Inter dominated early proceedings, creating several chances in the opening half. Mike Maignan was called into action within minutes, pulling off a crucial save from Marcus Thuram’s header and later tipping a Lautaro Martinez volley onto the post. Francesco Acerbi also struck the woodwork with a header, and Inter looked the more likely side to score before the break.
After halftime, Milan’s organization and counter-attacking threat became apparent. The breakthrough arrived just as Inter seemed in control, and Pulisic’s anticipation on the rebound from Sommer’s save underscored Milan’s clinical edge. Meanwhile, Milan’s midfield and back line absorbed pressure and looked more dangerous on the counter, with Leao and Fofana testing Sommer with long-range efforts.
The game’s pivotal moment came with less than 20 minutes left, when Strahinja Pavlovic fouled Marcus Thuram in the box and VAR awarded Inter a penalty. Hakan Calhanoglu, who had been perfect from the spot all year, stepped up but Maignan produced a superb low save, diving to his right and pushing the shot away from danger. This save preserved Milan’s lead and ultimately secured all three points for Allegri’s men.
In the closing stages, Allegri reinforced the midfield and defense, introducing Ricci, Nkunku, and Loftus-Cheek to see out the result. Despite a barrage of late efforts from Inter’s substitutes, Milan held firm to clinch victory. The Rossoneri now sit second on 25 points, just two behind Roma, and push Inter down to fourth in a tightly packed title race. With Maignan’s heroics and Pulisic’s finishing, Milan showed both resilience and quality in one of Italy’s most heated fixtures.
