Milan stuns Inter with dramatic last-minute winner, ending 2-year derby drought

Milan finally exorcised its demons against Inter Milan last Sunday. After six consecutive losses to the hated rival, the Rossoneri finally won against the latter in an exhilarating 2-1 win sealed by a clutch goal from Gabbia in the final minutes. On the contrary, this game held at San Siro and part of Serie A's 2024/25 fifth round, brought so much more than the three points: it brought relief and joy to Milan fans who hadn't seen their team defeat Inter since September 2022.

Follow Playing for 90 on X (Twitter).

The victory was far from easy. From Christian Pulisic's great early goal to Dimarco's equalizer to Gabbia's decisive one, everything was full of ups and downs, emotion, and tension-everything that makes such derbies so unforgettable.

A hot start

Milan started strongly and pressed high for goals early in the game. As early as four minutes into the game, Morata was threatening the Inter goal, a signal that Milan wasn't here to play second fiddle. That aggressive attitude soon paid off.

Until minute nine, in came Pulisic. Rapidly becoming one of Milan's mainstays in the middle of the field, he stole the ball from Mkhitaryan, masterfully took him to the back, and with a toe-poke finish, was able to open the scoring. What a goal to send the stadium into a frenzy and Milan ahead. It was also one for the record books-Pulisic the first American player ever to score in the Milan derby. Rarely will he have scored such an important goal.

However, let's be real, that Milan derby was never going to go that comfortably for the Rossoneri.

Inter strike back: Dimarco's equaliser

Inter only woke up after conceding. The Nerazzurri started to dominate around the 20-minute mark, and soon enough, they find their equalizer. At 27 minutes, in one such beautifully crafted play, Dimarco received the ball on the left, exchanged passes with Lautaro Martínez, and slotted a low shot past Maignan. San Siro was all square again.

This equalizer gave Inter the much-needed psychological edge. They almost took the lead into the halftime break when Thuram, on the 41st minute, was able to spin inside the box and let go with a shot when inside, though Maignan made a good save, keeping Milan from heading to the locker room down a goal.

Second-half persistence of Milan

The second half began with Milan seeking to once again take the lead. One of Milan's most important offensive tools was Rafael Leão, who had a clear header opportunity just a few minutes into the second half, yet Inter's keeper Sommer made an excellent save. At the 18-minute mark, Reijnders found himself near goal with another setup by Leão, but for the umpteenth time, Milan was unable to break through the concrete wall that was Inter's defense.

Like in any good, old-fashioned rivalry, the pressure continued to build. In the 31st minute, a penalty to Milan was overturned by VAR as Lautaro Martínez was deemed to have handled the ball. The referee gave the reverse call to keep the score level. You could cut it in the air-the next goal would beg the game.

Gabbia's game-winning goal

And it was then, when the draw seemed to be the final result, that Milan's moment of glory finally came. In the 43rd minute of the second half, off a well-placed free kick by Reijnders, Gabbia rose above everybody to header into the net what sealed Milan's victory at 2-1. It was the knockout blow in a match that felt like it was slipping away from the Rossoneri.

Gabbia, who never usually is the hero of the day, earned Milan three important points and ended a run of two years without a win against Inter. The goal symbolized Milan's persistence throughout the match as they kept believing in the win even after the equalizer.

What this win means for Milan

This was Milan's much-needed win. It wasn't just three points; it took down Inter to break a negative streak and got their confidence back. Without the defeat of their biggest rivals after two years, this match re-stirred belief in the fact that Milan can do well at the highest level.

That puts both sides on 8 points now, but the psychological effect of this win may be important for Milan's future season. Pulisic, Reijnders, Leão, and Gabbia shone bright in this match that could very well be the turning point for the Rossoneri.