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Inter Milan’s Dominant Milan Derby Win Propels Them to Serie A Summit
Inter Milan made a resounding statement early in the Serie A season with a commanding 5-1 victory over their arch-rivals, AC Milan, in the latest edition of the Milan Derby. This emphatic win not only asserted their dominance in the city but also propelled them to the top of the Serie A table. Meanwhile, defending champions Napoli faced a tough battle against Genoa, salvaging a 2-2 draw after coming back from a two-goal deficit.
Inter Milan’s Perfect Start
Inter Milan has had a perfect start to their Serie A campaign, securing four wins in as many matches, accumulating an impressive 12 points. Their outstanding form has placed them two points ahead of their fierce competitors, Juventus, who also clinched a victory, beating Lazio 3-1 in the earlier match of the day. AC Milan, on the other hand, finds themselves trailing by a further point, following their first defeat of the season, just before their crucial clash with Newcastle United in the Champions League.
Derby Dominance
Fueled by the passionate and boisterous San Siro crowd, Inter Milan clinched their fifth consecutive derby victory across all competitions. This memorable win was orchestrated by a brilliant performance that included a Henrikh Mkhitaryan brace, an explosive strike by Marcus Thuram, and two late goals from Hakan Calhanoglu and Davide Frattesi.
Simone Inzaghi’s side put on a display that demonstrated why they reached last season’s Champions League final. They solidified their status as the early favorites to clinch their twentieth Scudetto.
Mkhitaryan, speaking to DAZN, expressed the team’s determination: “We’ve started the season brilliantly and we want to keep going. We are all here for the same goal, and I don’t care who plays… the coach will pick whoever does their absolute best for the second star (on the shirt for 20 titles).”
Thuram, who has made an instant impact since joining Inter Milan, played a significant role in Mkhitaryan’s opening goal. The French forward made a darting run past Malick Thiaw before assisting Federico Dimarco, whose mishit shot found the back of the net.
Thuram showcased his prowess once again, this time in the 38th minute. Lautaro Martinez initiated a lightning-fast counterattack, passing to Denzel Dumfries, who delivered the ball to Thuram. Thuram, with a burst of speed, cut inside Thiaw and unleashed a powerful shot from outside the box, leaving the opposition goalkeeper with no chance.
AC Milan’s Fightback
With a seemingly insurmountable 3-0 deficit, AC Milan faced an uphill battle. However, they displayed their fighting spirit as Rafael Leao pulled one back in the 57th minute. Leao’s goal marked the first time Inter Milan conceded in the league this season.
As rain poured down on the San Siro, Mkhitaryan silenced AC Milan’s “away” supporters with his second goal of the night. He was set up brilliantly by Martinez, securing his brace and Inter Milan’s fifth goal of the match.
Calhanoglu’s 79th-minute penalty and a stoppage-time finish from Frattesi, fresh from his double for Italy earlier in the week, added to the misery for AC Milan and their coach Stefano Pioli.
Pioli, in a defiant tone, stated, “I don’t think we need to apologize to our fans. Do you think we wanted to concede five goals to Inter Milan?” Pioli’s frustration was evident, having now lost every Milan derby in 2023 with an aggregate score of 12-1.
Napoli’s Rollercoaster Ride
Meanwhile, Napoli’s title defense continued to stumble as they faced Genoa. Rudi Garcia’s side, coming off a defeat to Lazio before the international break, found themselves trailing by two goals at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.
Italy internationals Giacomo Raspadori and Matteo Politano were the heroes for Napoli, scoring in the final moments to secure a hard-fought 2-2 draw.
Politano, speaking to Sky Sport in Italy, acknowledged the challenges: “We have work to do, but we had very little time to prepare for this match because many players returned (from international duty) only yesterday.”
Mattia Bani opened the scoring for Genoa just before halftime, and Mateo Retegui extended their lead in the 56th minute. However, Napoli didn’t give up. Raspadori’s stunning goal in the 76th minute reignited their hopes.
Politano then salvaged a crucial point for Napoli with a brilliant volley, connecting with Piotr Zielinski’s lobbed pass, leaving Genoa and their fans disappointed after looking poised for a remarkable victory.
In the early stages of the Serie A season, Inter Milan’s dominant display in the Milan Derby has set the stage for an exciting and competitive campaign. With Napoli and Juventus in pursuit, the battle for the Scudetto promises to be intense, with twists and turns expected throughout the season.
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