Inter Milan scored a 2-0 win against AC Milan on Wednesday (May 10) to seize control of the Champions League semi-final as they attempt to become the first Italian team to win the coveted cup since doing so in 2010.
Inter struck twice in the opening 15 minutes, with Edin Dzeko finding the net from close range in the eighth minute and Henrikh Mkhitaryan extending the lead three minutes later at the San Siro. Dzeko also became the second oldest player to score in a Champions League semi-final after Manchester United’s Ryan Giggs.
Although AC Milan had a better showing in the second half, they did not threaten. AC Milan will now face an uphill task in the second-leg of the semi-final to stay on course to win their ninth European Cup.
Inter’s fans didn’t have to wait long before their side doubled the lead when Mkhitaryan finished off another flowing move.
So often the creator of goals, the 34-year-old Armenian kept his cool to strike the ball past Maignan in the AC Milan net.
It could have, and probably should have, got a lot uglier for Stefano Pioli’s side as Inter passed up on several chances to put this semifinal beyond AC Milan.
Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s shot hit the post, while Inter thought they had a penalty in the first half when captain Lautaro Martínez was felled in the box, but referee Jesus Gil Manzano overturned the decision with the help of VAR after concluding the contact had been too minimal.
Džeko then had a glorious one-on-one opportunity following the half-time interval only to be denied by the Milan ‘keeper.
It was hard for the home side to perform as badly in the second half as they did in the opening 45 minutes and Pioli’s side did occasionally threaten the Inter goal, notably when Sandro Tonali’s raking shot hit the post.