Inter 0-1 Milan: Pulisic's winner seals derby win as Calhanoglu misses penalty

Both firmly in a close-knit race for the Scudetto, these two Italian giants came into this clash separated by just two points in the table – but the early minutes didn’t reflect that narrow gap, as the Nerazzurri were quicker out of the traps.

Match Report

Maignan proved to be Milan's hero as he saved Hakan Calhanoglu's late penalty to crush hopes of an Inter fightback after Pulisic broke the deadlock in the 54th minute. 

Inter did, however, get themselves off to a positive start as Maignan was forced into a spectacular save to deny Marcus Thuram's diving header with four minutes on the clock. 

Francisco Acerbi was then denied by the woodwork in the 27th minute as Inter pushed for an opener, with his near-post header agonisingly crashing against the post.

Maignan was called into action once more minutes before the break as he smartly tipped Lautaro Martinez's low volley onto the post, denying a near-certain goal.

Pulisic eventually opened the scoring shortly after the restart, as Alexis Saelemaekers unleashed a low shot from distance that Yann Sommer could only parry straight into the path of the American, who made no mistake from close range.

Inter were given a golden chance to equalise 20 minutes from time when Strahinja Pavlovic clipped Thuram inside the box, with a penalty awarded following a VAR review.

But former Milan midfielder Calhanoglu was unable to drag his side level, with Maignan making a superb low save to deny his bottom-corner strike.

Data Debrief: Allegri's winning century

Following Sunday's win, Massimiliano Allegri, now in his second stint with Milan, became the seventh manager to record 100 wins in all competitions with the Rossoneri.

The only others to achieve this feat are Carlo Ancelotti, Nereo Rocco, Fabio Capello, Stefano Pioli, Nils Liedholm, and Arrigo Sacchi.

Boosted by Calhanoglu's missed penalty, Inter generated 1.6 expected goals (xG) from their 20 shots to Milan's 1.0 from their seven attempts, but were held back by a stellar performance in goal from Maignan, who celebrated his 150th match in Europe's top five leagues with a win. 

Indeed, Maignan has saved three of the last six penalties faced in Serie A, after having saved just one of the previous 12 penalties faced in the competition. 

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

4' Thuram forces a strong save from Mike Maignan

7' Gabbia looks in a bit of trouble as he comes crashing down with some blood

15' Highlight from Inter vs Milan

16' Bartesaghi has a go from an ambitious angle but it's never going in from there

24' Youssouf Fofana fancies his luck from the edge of the box but it's so high

28' CLOSE! Acerbi gets the ball and has a header off the post!

30' Match Event for Inter vs Milan

36' Lautaro gets the ball with a volley but Mike Maignon gets a big hand to it

43' Pulisic uses his pace to find space for a shot but can't curl inside the post

47' Leao is the first player to pick up a yellow card for a nasty one on Barella

51' Thuram looks to bend one into the top corner but Maignan catches it

54' GOAL! Pulisic fires home to find the breakthrough! Inter 0-1 Milan

65' Inter skipper Lautaro Martinez makes way for Ange-Yoan Bonny

68' Fofana looks to drive across goal to the bottom corner but Sommer dives on it

74' Penalty Missed! A stunning save from Mike Maignon to keep out Hakan Calhanoglu!

80' Match Event for Inter vs Milan

Line-ups

Inter XI: Sommer, Acerbi, Calhanoglu, Dimarco, Barella, Akanji, Thuram, Lautaro, Bastoni, Carlos Augusto, Petar Sučić

Subs: De Vrij, Zielinski, Frattesi, Josep Martínez, Yann Bisseck, Luis Henrique, Andy Diouf, Ange-Yoan Bonny, Alessandro Calligaris, Pio Esposito, Christos Alexiou, Matteo Cocchi

Milan XI: Modric, Maignan, Rabiot, Tomori, Pulisic, Gabbia, Leao, Alexis Saelemaekers, Youssouf Fofana, S. Pavlovic, Davide Bartesaghi

Subs: Pietro Terracciano, Loftus-Cheek, Nkunku, Pervis Estupiñán, Samuele Ricci, Ardon Jashari, Koni De Winter, D. Odogu, Matteo Pittarella