Milan challenge for title with win over leaders Inter
Sports Desk, Feb 5 (EFE).- AC Milan came from behind to beat Inter 2-1 Saturday in the highest-stakes derby in a decade and now trail the Serie A leaders by just a point, though the defending champions have a game in hand.
Olivier Giroud, playing in the place of the injured Zlatan Ibrahimovic, scored both goals for Milan.
What was only their second league win in the last 12 against their hometown rivals lifted the Rossoneri to 52 points, 3 more than third-place Napoli, who host Inter next week.
The Nerazzurri were by far the better side in the first half and went up 1-0 in the 38th minute courtesy of Ivan Perisic, making up for the offside that caused Denzel Dumfries’s goal in the 10th to be disallowed.
Inter would have run away with the contest in the first 45 minutes if not for some outstanding goalkeeping by Mike Maignan, who made a trio of great stops to deny Dumfries, Lautaro Martinez and Marcelo Brozovic.
Milan’s comeback began in the 75th minute with Giroud’s first goal. The France international beat Samir Handanovic after the initial shot from Ibrahim Diaz was deflected.
The 35-year-old striker completed the brace just four minutes later to make it 2-1 for the Rossoneri, who held on to win despite going down to 10 men with two minutes left in stoppage time as Theo Hernandez picked up a straight red card for a poor tackle on Dumfries.
It was only the second loss of the Serie A season for Inter. EFE
am/dr
