Inter Milan won their 20th Serie A title on Monday, beating AC Milan 2-1 in a derby that witnessed three players sent off in the dying minutes.
FC Inter's Francesco Acerbi (R) vies with AC Milan's Christian Pulisic during a Serie A football match between AC Milan and FC Inter in Milan, Italy, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Alberto Lingria/Xinhua)
With a comfortable 14-point lead over second-placed AC Milan and only six rounds remaining, Inter Milan was poised to secure the Scudetto even before the derby, aiming to repeat their 2021 championship success. Entering the match at San Siro, Inter fielded a strong lineup with Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram leading the attack, while AC Milan opted to bench Olivier Giroud, positioning Rafael Leao as the lone striker.
The Nerazzurri, who had previously overwhelmed their city rivals 5-1 earlier in the season, opened the scoring in the 18th minute. Federico Dimarco’s corner was deftly flicked on by Benjamin Pavard to Francesco Acerbi, who headed it in. Lautaro missed an opportunity to extend the lead shortly afterward, sending the ball over the bar from an unmarked position.
AC Milan had the chance to equalize but Yann Sommer got down well to deny Leao's strike, while at the other end Thuram's attempt was inches wide.
Inter Milan doubled the lead straight after the break in a spectacular fashion when a long ball over the top found Thuram, who cut inside and feinted a curler to the far top corner, but instead the Frenchman smashed it with ferocity into the near corner, surprising goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
AC Milan then threw on Giroud and Noah Okafor to strengthen the attack, and their efforts paid off in the 80th minute when Matteo Gabbia's header was parried onto the post, before Fikayo Tomori headed it into the net.
The match escalated in stoppage time with the dismissals of Denzel Dumfries and Theo Hernandez from Inter and AC Milan, respectively, and soon after, Davide Calabria was also sent off for elbowing Inter's Davide Frattesi.
In the final moments, even Milan's goalkeeper Maignan joined the attack, but AC Milan could not prevent Inter from celebrating their victory.
In another key Serie A battle for fourth place, Bologna secured a 3-1 victory over Roma away from home. Oussama El Azzouzi put Bologna ahead with a spectacular bicycle kick, Joshua Zirkzee added to the lead before halftime, and despite Sardar Azmoun's effort to narrow the deficit, Alexis Saelemaekers' lob ensured Bologna solidified their hold on fourth place, now seven points clear of Roma, who have a game in hand.
Related articles:
Related suggestion:
QB Bryce Young excited about 'new faces' in Carolina after team's 2Tesla's firstCanucks goalie Thatcher Demko will miss Game 2 against PredatorsPrince Louis birthday portrait taken by Kate Middleton is released on day he turns 6America's best airlines ranked$6,500 school vouchers coming to Georgia as bill gets final passage and heads to governorActivists interrupt Chinese ambassador's Harvard speech — Radio Free AsiaJuventus requires a late goal to beat Lazio 3Pentagon set to send $1 billion in new military aid to Ukraine once bill clears Senate and BidenEuropean parliament passes law banning forced labor products — Radio Free Asia
2.9644s , 6512.8046875 kb
Copyright © 2024 Powered by Inter secure Serie A title in heated win over Milan ,Stellar Signals news portal