A dramatic penalty save proved decisive as AC Milan secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over city rivals Inter in Sunday’s Serie A encounter at San Siro.
The match’s pivotal moment arrived in the 73rd minute when Inter were awarded a spot-kick following a VAR-reviewed foul. All eyes turned to Inter captain Hakan Calhanoglu, who had established himself as one of Serie A’s most reliable penalty takers with an exceptional conversion record spanning his tenure at both Milan clubs.
Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan employed unorthodox tactics, positioning himself notably toward the opposite side of the goal from Calhanoglu’s preferred shooting corner. The psychological gambit paid dividends as Maignan launched himself across goal to palm away the Turkish international’s firmly struck penalty—marking the first time in eight years of Italian football that Calhanoglu had been denied from the spot in domestic competition.
The save capped an outstanding individual performance from Maignan, who had repeatedly thwarted Inter’s attacking efforts throughout the match. The Nerazzurri had dominated proceedings for long stretches, striking the woodwork and forcing multiple spectacular stops from the French goalkeeper during a first-half onslaught.
Despite Inter’s territorial dominance and superior chance creation, Milan demonstrated clinical efficiency in front of goal. The breakthrough came in the 54th minute when Christian Pulisic converted from close range after Yann Sommer could only parry an initial effort from Alexis Saelemaekers.
The victory continues a curious pattern in the Milan derby, with the Rossoneri now having taken 11 points from the last 15 available against their city rivals despite Inter finishing 18 points clear in last season’s championship race.
Both Milan clubs remain firmly in the early-season title conversation, separated by just three points in a tightly contested table. The defeat sees Inter drop to fourth position while Milan climb to second, though questions persist about both teams’ consistency against varied opposition.
Milan’s manager emphasized the ongoing development of his squad post-match, stating the team would “continue to grow” as the season progresses. For Inter, attention now turns to European competition as they seek to rebound from this domestic setback.
