Matteo Gabbia scored a dramatic late winner as AC Milan
beat fierce rivals Inter in the Milan derby to ease the pressure on manager
Paulo Fonseca.
The centre-back planted a bullet header past Inter
goalkeeper Yann Sommer in the 89th minute to secure the three points and end a
run of six straight Milan derby defeats for the Rossoneri.
Christian Pulisic had given AC Milan the lead early on but
Inter were level before the half-hour through wing-back Federico Dimarco, who
became the first Milan-born player to score a Serie A goal in the Derby della
Madonnina since Paolo Maldini netted for Milan in November 1994.
Milan were awarded a penalty 20 minutes into the second half
for a handball by Inter captain Lautaro Martinez, but the decision was swiftly
overturned by the video assistant referee as replays showed the ball hit his
shoulder.
With both sides pushing for the decisive goal late on,
Milan's best chance appeared to have gone when Tammy Abraham fired wide with
just Sommer to beat after a lovely through ball from Tijjani Reijnders.
But Gabbia rose highest to meet Reijnders' free-kick and
head the 'away' side to victory at the San Siro Stadium, which the clubs share.
The loss was Inter's first at home in the league for a year
and meant they missed the chance to go top of the table, with their previously
struggling neighbours now level with them on eight points from five matches.
Pressure on Fonseca lessens with impressive win
Milan came into the game with reports suggesting
that boss Fonseca was under huge pressure just four games into the
Serie A season, after an underwhelming start.
Victory over Venezia last weekend had given him some leeway
but was quickly followed by a comprehensive loss to Liverpool in the Champions
League, ramping up the intensity before the match with their city rivals.
But Fonseca's side responded brilliantly as they came out
full of verve to dominate the early exchanges.
Pulisic nipped in to take a bouncing ball off Henrikh
Mkhitaryan and drove through the heart of the Inter defence before stabbing
past Sommer to give Milan a deserved lead.
Inter did come back at them and levelled after a good
exchange between Martinez and Dimarco ended with the latter firing a crisp shot
low into bottom corner.
Again Milan reacted, though, with Rafael Leao's header well
saved as they started the second half brightly.
Inter remained a threat, with Martinez's smart volley
drawing a save from Mike Maignan, but Milan looked the likelier as the game
wore on.
Leao was denied by Sommer again after Abraham slipped him in
at the end of a rapid counter-attack, before the English striker fired wide
with what looked like being the last big chance.
But Gabbia had other ideas and, for all the unrest following
a slow start, Fonseca’s side are now up to seventh - with Inter only ahead of
them on goal difference.
