May 11, (THEWILL) – Inter Milan took a commanding lead in their UEFA Champions League semi-final against AC Milan, scoring two goals in the first 11 minutes at the San Siro stadium.
Former Manchester City striker, Edin Dzeko, opened the scoring by firing a volley from 12 yards out, before Henrikh Mkhitaryan doubled the lead three minutes later, weaving through Milan’s defence to slot home. Inter could have extended their lead in the first half, but Milan goalkeeper, Mike Maignan, pulled off some key saves.
Milan, who were without the injured Rafael Leao, improved in the second half but failed to capitalise on their chances. Brahim Diaz curled just wide from 20 yards, while substitute, Divock Origi, played a crucial role in setting up Sandro Tonali, whose strike hit the post. Inter’s Dzeko also had a one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but his shot was saved.
Despite Milan’s resurgence, Inter drew the sting out of their rivals and secured a vital 2-0 win. The last time these two teams met in the Champions League was in 2005, when a quarter-final clash was abandoned due to Inter fans throwing flares onto the pitch. The game was called off after 73 minutes when a flare struck and injured Milan goalkeeper, Dida.
Inter will now face Milan in the second leg of the semi-final, with a spot in the final in Istanbul at stake. Before that, they have upcoming matches to prepare for on Saturday, as Milan will face Spezia while Inter will take on Sassuolo.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
