Serie A: Gabbia grabs late winner as AC Milan end Inter’s dominance

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AC Milan claimed their first Derby della Madonnina victory since 2022, thanks to a late header from Matteo Gabbia against Inter.

The tense and fiercely contested match saw Milan triumph 2-1 over bitter rivals Inter in Serie A.

Christian Pulisic opened the scoring after exploiting a defensive gap, capitalising on Milan’s early pressure. However, the Rossoneri’s lead lasted only 17 minutes, with Federico Dimarco equalising for Inter following a well-timed pass from Lautaro Martinez.

Inter dominated large stretches of the first half, but Milan’s defense held firm despite some shaky moments. Goalkeeper Mike Maignan played a key role, making several critical saves to deny Inter further opportunities.

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Milan’s initial bright play was nearly undone by a lapse in defensive discipline, particularly from Emerson Royal. His poor positioning left Dimarco unmarked for the equaliser, frustrating the Milan backline.

The second half saw Milan make tactical adjustments, pressing high and creating better chances. Tammy Abraham came close twice, first with a header and later a shot that narrowly missed the post.

Despite Inter’s relentless pressure, Milan grew stronger as the match wore on. Rafael Leao and Tijjani Reijnders both threatened, but Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer remained resilient, keeping his side in the contest.

As the clock ticked down, Milan pushed forward in search of a breakthrough. Fonseca made crucial substitutions, bringing on Samuel Chukwueze and Ruben Loftus-Cheek to inject energy into the side.

In the 87th minute, Reijnders delivered a perfect set-piece into the box, which Matteo Gabbia met with a towering header. His strike sent the Milan faithful into wild celebrations, securing a dramatic 2-1 victory.

Inter, on the verge of winning a seventh consecutive derby, were denied by Milan’s late heroics. Gabbia’s winner broke the Rossoneri’s derby drought and restored pride to the red half of the city.

The result lifted pressure off Milan’s senior figures, particularly Paulo Fonseca, who has been under scrutiny.

With this dramatic victory, Milan not only reignited their season but ended Inter’s recent dominance in the historic derby. The Rossoneri will hope to carry this momentum into their upcoming fixtures.

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