Italian Cup: AC Milan and Inter back to back in the semi-final first leg

AC Milan and Inter Milan are no further ahead. At the end of a very intense semi-final first leg of the Italian Cup, the Rossoneri and the Nerazzurri did not know how to decide to leave each other good friends. If most of the ingredients were there to ensure a pleasant spectacle, the two rivals did not manage to find the way to the nets (0-0). We will therefore have to wait for the return, still scheduled at San Siro, but this time in the colors of Inter, to decide between the neighbors who are fighting, in parallel, for the Scudetto.

Rough duels, a few clear chances, a lot of respect and far-play despite the stakes… but no goal. This is how we could sum up this clash between Milan and Inter on the occasion of the first leg semi-final of the Italian Cup, marked by Andriy Shevchenko’s video message before kick-off, calling for peace in Ukraine. With the exception of a last quarter of an hour during which they drew physically (and probably a little calculated), the two clubs delivered a good opposition. It was the Nerazzurri who started well, like this control which escaped Edin Dzeko in the area (5th). Then, the Rossoneri gradually took over the match. Alexis Saelemaekers forced Samir Handanovic to make a first save (10th) and, in the process, Théo Hernandez crossed his shot a little too much, after a 100% French relay with Olivier Giroud (11th).

The two Milan back to back

These two actions gave confidence to Stefano Pioli’s men, despite the injury of Alessio Romagnoli (27th). There was nevertheless a lot of waste in the last 30 meters, like a twirling but too imprecise Rafael Leao. The Portuguese still almost opened the scoring with the right foot, but Handanovic put up a firm hand to keep his team in the game (47th). Still in the second half, Giroud will no doubt be able to ruminate on this contact with Milan Skriniar, the Slovak defender seeming to make an irregular tackle in the area (48th). The referee preferred to let play in this confrontation, hence the frantic pace which physically cost both Milan a lot.

The efforts, combined with the many changes made after the hour mark, cut off the offensive inclinations of the Rossoneri and the Nerazzurri, who no longer had the lucidity to make the right choice in the zone of truth. This draw could upset Inter a little more because of the away goal rule, still in force in the Italian Cup. AC Milan can actually settle for a draw if the two teams come to score on the return. Simone Inzaghi’s players will above all have to find solutions, since they remain on five straight matches without a win, in all competitions. Worse, they have not scored in four outings. This scarcity is starting to last a little too long, as the deadlines are approaching.