0’ – Inter get the game underway 

6’ – Inter have a free kick just inside the AC Milan half which DiMarco sends into the box and Acerbi heads goalwards but his effort deflects off of Sandro Tonali and is out for an Inter corner 

8’ – GOAL! Edin Dzeko gives the blue side of Milan the lead with a left footed volley into the top right hand corner from Hakan Calhanoglu’s corner.  

11’ GOAL! It’s 2! Henrikh Mkhitaryan doubles the lead for the Nerazzurri after DiMarco plays him through and he smashes the ball past Mike Maignan from close range. 2-0 very early on. 

15’ Close to 3! Calhanoglu strikes from about 30 yards and his effort despite beating Maignan rebounds off the post and into the path of Barella who knocks it into Mkhitaryan whose tame effort is right at Maignan.  

17’ Substitution for AC Milan Ismael Bennacer makes way for Junior Messias after Bennacer picked up a knock 

23’ Dzeko gets through again after getting away from Tomori but Calabria gets a vital touch to disrupt the Inter attack and regain possession 

24’ Dumfries and Diaz both go for a header on the halfway line with the Dutch defender conceding a free kick 

26’ Martinez shows good balance as he controls a pass and spins to get to the wrong side of Fikayo Tomori but his pass to DiMarco is cut out by Simon Kjaer 

30’ Calabria hits the side netting after meeting Messias’ cross which he flicks wide 

31’ PENALTY TO INTER! After Kjaer brings down Martinez the referee points to the spot, VAR will review this 

33’ PENALTY OVERTURNED! The referee went to the monitor and has overturned his own on-field decision to rescind the penalty and Kjaer’s yellow card 

34’ Martinez goes close after smashing a strike from outside the box just over the bar 

40’ Calhanoglu delivers a deep free kick into the Milan area but Tonali does enough to distract Martinez before a free kick is awarded to the Rossoneri 

42’ Diaz takes a pass from Hernandez and tries to spin Acerbi but runs out of steam and is dispossessed 

44’ Saelemakers shows a little bit of flair as he dribbles into the penalty box but Dumfries gets back and steals the ball back 

45’ Four minutes added time 

45+1’ Krunic is booked for dissent after he feels he was elbowed 

45+1’ Mkhitaryan booked for a foul 

45+4’ Half Time 

45’ Milan kick off the second half 

47’ Milan free kick, 30 yards out 

48’ Hernandez floats the ball into the box from the free kick but Giroud fouls Dumfries at the back post and the Nerazzuri have a free kick 

50’ Diaz drives forward and finds space for a strike just outside the box, aiming for the bottom left but his strikes fizzes wide 

52’ Big chance for Junior Messias as he breaks into the box to receive the ball, opens up his body and tries to bend his effort into the back post but his shot creeps wide and he should’ve done better given the amount of time he had on the ball 

54’ Big Save from Maignan to deny Dzeko his brace. Bastoni runs at the Milan defence and gets to the edge of the area before slipping the ball into Dzeko who is one on one with the keeper but his low strike is saved by the Frenchmen’s legs 

56’ Tonali receives the all on the edge of the area, takes a touch to make room, shoots and drags a low effort wide 

59’ Substitution for Milan Kjaer and Saelemaekers off and Thiaw and Origi on 

62’ Substitution for Inter Mkhitaryan off Brozovic on 

63’ Krunic drives towards goal before being knocked off the ball by DiMarco just outside the box and despite protests the referee decrees no foul before a foul is given against Olivier Giroud. The Milan fans sound their disapproval at that decision 

64’ So close for Milan as they hit the post! Giroud tees up Tonali on the edge of the box and Tonali’s driven volley hits the bottom left of the post with Onana beaten before ending up out of play 

64’ Yellow for Tomori for a poor challenge 

69’ Acerbi tries to test Maignan for distance but that’s catching practice for the Milan ‘keeper 

70’ Substitution for Inter Dzeko off Lukaku on and Dimarco off De Vrij on 

74’ Hernandez whips the ball into the box aiming for Olivier Giroud but Onana comes off his line to claim the ball 

75’ Thiaw blocks Darmian’s effort as the Italian wing back finds room in the box before the German blocks him from point blank range 

76’ VAR check for Krunic elbowing Bastoni in the ribs 

76’ Krunic is cleared by VAR 

78’ Substitution for Inter Calhanoglu off Gagliardini on and Martinez off Correa on 

82’ Messias cuts in from the right and shoots with his left but Onana saves 

82’ Substitution for Milan Calabria off Kalulu on Diaz off Pobega on 

84’ Free kick for Milan 30 yards from goal after Hernandez is fouled by Gagliardini 

85’ Hernandez sends the free kick high and wide 

90’ Four minutes off added time 

90+2’ Pobega strikes straight at Onana from the edge of the area with a fierce low strike 

90+5’ FULL TIME 

90+5’ Inter will have a 2-0 lead going into the return leg after Dzeko gave them an early lead from a Hakan Calhanoglu corner which he volleyed into the top right. Mkhitaryan then doubled the lead just minutes later with a close range effort that he smashed past Maignan. Both teams had chances with both hitting the woodwork but neither could produce any more goals. Milan will need some more clinical finishing if they are to keep their hopes for an eight Champions League crown on.   

Originally Written: 10th May 2023