Estupinan lifts AC Milan to derby win over Inter
AC Milan kept its Serie A title hopes alive as Pervis Estupinan's 35th-minute finish sealed a 1-0 win over league leader Inter in the Derby della Madonnina.
Massimiliano Allegri's side moved to within seven points of its city rival in the table, as the Rossoneri won both Milan derbies in the league for the first time since 2010-2011.
An early mistake from a Yann Sommer goal kick presented Luka Modric with a chance to open the scoring, but he could only send his left-footed effort wide of the right post.
Inter improved from there and had a glorious chance to take the lead when Henrikh Mkhitaryan drove from inside his own half and made his way into the box unchallenged, but he was unable to find a way past Milan captain Mike Maignan when one-on-one.
That save proved crucial for Milan just 78 seconds later when Youssouf Fofana's defence-splitting pass picked out Estupinan, who rifled the ball into the roof of the net.
Cristian Chivu's men continued to turn the screw after the break as Piotr Zielinski forced Maignan into an early stop at his near post in the second half before Federico Dimarco somehow fired over from inside the box after being teed up by Mkhitaryan.
Inter had the ball in the back of the net in the third minute of second-half stoppage time as Dimarco's cross found its way past Sommer, though referee Daniele Doveri had blown up for a foul on Carlos Augusto just as the corner was taken, with Milan able to hold on in the minutes that remained.
Milan boss Allegri has continuously stated that his team's goal for the season is to return to the Champions League, but after its victory over its rivals here, they may begin to believe that it has a chance to win the Scudetto.
Indeed, Milan are now unbeaten in their last seven derby matches against Inter in all competitions (W5 D2), after losing all six of the previous encounters. The Rossoneri have not recorded a longer unbeaten run against the Nerazzurri in official matches since November 2002 and April 2005 (ten in that period).
The decisive moment came from the left boot of Estupinan, who became the first Ecuadorian player to score in a derby between Milan and Inter in all competitions, while also helping his team move up to 60 after their first 28 games of a league season for the fourth time, after 2009-10, after 2010-11 (61), 2011-12 (60) and 2021-22 (60).
