Christian Pulisic’s goal gave AC Milan a 1-0 win over city rivals Inter Milan at San Siro on Sunday, with Mike Maignan saving Hakan Calhanoglu’s penalty to deny the hosts an equalizer.
Inter’s three-match winning run had taken them to the top of the standings, but there is little room for error in this season’s Scudetto battle, with AS Roma occupying pole position after a 3-1 win over Cremonese and Milan now on its shoulders.
Milan moved into second place with 25 points, two behind Roma, and level with defending champions Napoli, while Inter, who could have returned to the top with a win, dropped to fourth alongside Bologna with 24 points.
After a hectic opening half in which Inter had most of the chances and Milan were saved by the keeper and the upright, Pulisic put Milan ahead nine minutes after the break.
A foul by Strahinja Pavlovic on Marcus Thuram gave Inter a lifeline sixteen minutes from time, but Maignan again came to the rescue.
Milan continued their recent dominance in the derby, extending their unbeaten streak against their neighbors to six games, and did so with one quick counter-attack and a goalkeeper in top form.
Inter were on the attack from the start, with Maignan making a full-force one-handed stop after Thuram’s early header, and Francesco Acerbi’s thumping header crashing back onto the post.
MAGIC MAIGNAN
Maignan then pushed Lautaro Martinez’s volley onto the post before Milan finally created a danger when Pulisic’s shot from distance curled just wide of the target.
After soaking up Inter’s early pressure after the break, Milan broke from their own half and led the counter-attack to the winning goal.
Youssouf Fofana played Alexis Saelemaekers through on goal, and after his low shot was pushed away by ‘keeper Yann Sommer, Pulisic pounced on the rebound and scored from close range.
Milan had found its attacking groove. Inter defender Manuel Akanji scored a decisive header, while Rafael Leao was on hand to connect with a cross from Saelemaekers, and Sommer saved a shot from Fofana.
The penalty came just when Inter seemed to have run out of ideas, but Maignan’s mind games helped. The Milan goalkeeper stood more to the right than the center, tempting Calhanoglu to hit the ball to the other side.
Calhanoglu obliged by hitting Maignan’s right, and the ‘keeper jumped up to reach the ball with his hand and then punched it away for a corner.
Milan absorbed the inevitable late pressure and held on to claim local bragging rights and a statement victory in a tight title race.
Published on November 24, 2025
