AC Milan wins thrilling derby, reignites Serie A title race

The Serie A title race this season has intensified after AC Milan defeated Inter Milan 1-0 in the Derby della Madonnina, thereby narrowing the gap with the league leaders to 7 points with 10 rounds remaining in the season.

The sole goal of the match was scored by Pervis Estupinan in the first half, enabling Milan to complete a double victory over their city rivals in a single Serie A season for the first time since the 2010/11 campaign.

The derby was tense from the opening minutes. Inter nearly paid the price in the 3rd minute when goalkeeper Yann Sommer made a faulty pass, allowing Christian Pulisic to steal the ball and set up Luka Modric for a shot from outside the penalty area. However, the Croatian midfielder's shot narrowly missed the post.

Nevertheless, Milan was the team that better capitalized on their opportunity. Midway through the first half, Youssouf Fofana delivered a precise through pass to Pervis Estupinan who surged forward. The Ecuadorian defender unleashed a powerful strike, sending the ball straight into the roof of the net, leaving Sommer no chance to save.

After conceding, Inter pushed forward seeking an equalizer. Federico Dimarco and Henrikh Mkhitaryan both had opportunities in the first half but could not beat goalkeeper Mike Maignan.

Entering the second half, Nerazzurri significantly increased their pressure. Piotr Zielinski forced Maignan to make a save at the near post, while Dimarco missed a golden opportunity by shooting over the bar from close range after a pass from Mkhitaryan.

On the other side, Milan remained dangerous in counterattacks. Rafael Leao had a dangerous angled shot, and Fofana forced Sommer into a difficult save with a powerful long-range effort.

The final minutes saw Inter's desperate push, but the blue-black team could not create a truly clear chance. Their two penalty appeals were also not accepted by the referee.

This defeat ends Inter's streak of 8 consecutive wins in Serie A. Meanwhile, Milan secured their 6th victory in the last 11 matches, thus continuing to maintain hope in the Scudetto race this season.

Serie A standings after round 28