MILAN — Stefan de Vrij’s last-minute goal proved crucial for Inter Milan as they fought back to secure a 1-1 draw against AC Milan, avoiding a third consecutive defeat in their fierce rivalry. De Vrij’s equalizer came as a relief after Inter had three goals disallowed and hit the woodwork on multiple occasions, ultimately responding to Tijjani Reijnders’ first-half strike. The Inter bench erupted in joy as they celebrated with the defender beside the corner flag.
Despite the draw, Inter remained in second place, trailing three points behind Serie A leaders Napoli, who also experienced a late equalizer in their match against Roma. Inter felt aggrieved as they had a clear penalty appeal turned down in the second half following a foul on Marcus Thuram.
Inter’s coach Simone Inzaghi praised his team’s resilience, acknowledging the challenges they faced throughout the match, from three disallowed goals to multiple near misses. He also expressed his admiration for AC Milan’s performance. Milan, riding high after victories in both their previous encounters with Inter, was determined to keep their winning streak alive.
Newly-loaned defender Kyle Walker made an immediate impact for Milan, stabilizing a backline that had recently been under pressure after conceding four goals in two matches. Inter, however, struggled to find the back of the net in the first half, with two goals chalked off for offside before Milan struck first. Just before halftime, Theo Hernández’s push forward allowed Rafael Leão to create a chance, leading to Reijnders scoring from close range after a save was made by goalkeeper Yann Sommer.
The second half saw another twist when a third goal was disallowed for a foul on Hernández, following a cross that was bundled into the net by Lautaro Martínez. Inter continued their relentless attack, hitting the crossbar multiple times, until they finally broke through in stoppage time. A cross from Nicola Zalewski was expertly controlled by de Vrij, who scored with a well-placed finish.
In another match, Napoli thought they were on their way to a comfortable win and a five-point lead over Inter after Leonardo Spinazzola’s rare goal in the first half. However, the game turned when Angeliño volleyed in a cross during stoppage time, bringing Napoli back to a draw.
Meanwhile, Randal Kolo Muani is quickly making a name for himself at Juventus, scoring two goals shortly after coming on during a 4-1 comeback victory against Empoli. Kolo Muani, who joined on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, has netted three goals in just two matches for his new club. An early header from Empoli’s Mattia De Sciglio gave them the lead, but the tide turned after Youssef Maleh was sent off, leaving Empoli with ten men for the final minutes of the match.
Dusan Vlahovic capped off a stellar performance with a brilliant solo goal in the dying moments, and Francisco Conceição added a fourth for Juventus in added time, boosting the team’s position to fourth place in the standings, with Fiorentina close behind after their win against Genoa.
Head coach Thiago Motta is feeling the pressure to deliver results after a rocky start, but Kolo Muani’s arrival could provide the spark needed to turn Juventus’ fortunes around.
