AC Milan edge on top Inter Milan at the San Siro
AC Milan overcame local rivals Inter Milan at the San Siro on Sunday 14 November, earning three vital points in the hunt for the Serie A title.
Milan, playing Inter at the home stadium the teams share, made do with Zlatan Ibrahimovic's first-half penalty, containing Rafael Benitez's team for the rest of the game to win 1–0.
"When you play like this you can get good results. We showed sacrifice in defence and desire to attack when we had the ball," Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri told FIFA.com after the win, adding that he
was particularly pleased with Ibrahimovic's inspired display. "He scored, he had a great game, he helped his team-mates, he was available like in other games."
Ibrahimovic makes his mark early on
Ibrahimovic, eager to perform against his former employers, took four minutes to make an impact on the game.
After being released on the right flank, the Swede advanced into the penalty area, stopping the ball just inside it only to be fouled by former teammate Marco Materazzi. The striker stepped and slotted
it low into the left corner with Julio Cesar going the other way.
Ibrahimovic was fed on the right again in the 13th minute, this time hitting a cross towards the penalty spot that Mathieu Flamini was able to convert for Milan.
The striker then hit a volley just over the bar from the right side of the penalty area after being teed up by Massimo Ambrosini. It was a spectacular effort that exuded both ambition and confidence.
Sneijder threatens to no avail
Inter's Wesley Sneijder took 37 minutes to set up his team's first chance, when his exchange with Eto'o led him to feed Philipe Coutinho, whose shot was intercepted.
Three minutes later, the Dutchman caused the stadium to roar as he hit a free kick from the left channel into the side-netting of the Milan goal.
Inter then pressed for an equaliser in the second half without really threatening their opponents.
In the 54th minute, Sneijder's half-volley went over the bar while his next effort, from a free kick, was parried by Christian Abbiati before Milan cleared their lines.
Allegri's men then kept possession and threatened occasionally through Ibrahimovic, who looked increasingly lonely in the team's attack.
By the 88th minute, none of his teammates entered the Inter box after the Swede earned Milan a corner kick.
After seeing out the result, league leaders Milan have a six-point lead over Inter in the table, with Benitez' team in fifth place. Milan have 26 points from 12 games, with Inter on 20.
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