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AC Milan kept their Serie A title chase alive with a 1-0 victory over Inter in the Derby della Madonnina, decided by Pervis Estupinan’s powerful first-half strike. The result cut Inter’s lead at the top to seven points and gave the Rossoneri a league double over their city rivals for the first time since 2010-11.

The win also strengthened Massimiliano Allegri’s push to reach next season’s Champions League, although the points gap now keeps the Scudetto in sight. Milan stretched an impressive unbeaten run in all competitions against Inter and maintained momentum after 28 league matches of this campaign with another controlled, disciplined display.

Inter created the first major threat when an early mistake from a Yann Sommer goal kick handed Luka Modric a clear chance, but Modric dragged a left-footed shot just wide of the right post. That warning lifted Inter, who then broke dangerously through Henrikh Mkhitaryan, only for Mike Maignan to deny the midfielder one-on-one.

Maignan’s key save proved vital, as Milan struck less than two minutes later. Youssouf Fofana split Inter’s back line with a precise through ball that released Estupinan. The Ecuadorian full-back surged into the area and smashed a left-footed finish into the roof of the net, leaving Sommer with no chance.

Cristian Chivu’s Inter side pushed hard after the interval and forced Milan back for long spells. Piotr Zielinski tested Maignan with a firm drive at the near post early in the second half, before Federico Dimarco fired over from inside the box after a low cut-back from Mkhitaryan created a clear opening.

Inter thought they had forced an equaliser in the third minute of stoppage time, when a Dimarco delivery from a corner evaded everyone and beat Sommer. However, referee Daniele Doveri had already blown for a foul on Carlos Augusto as the set-piece was taken, and Milan saw out the remaining seconds without further alarm.

Milan’s advantage on the scoreboard came despite Inter edging several attacking metrics. Inter recorded 11 attempts to Milan’s nine, yet only two of Inter’s efforts were on target. Expected goals (xG) numbers also slightly favoured Inter at 1.24 compared with Milan’s 0.77, underlining how efficiently Allegri’s team used their best opening.

Milan’s current tally of 60 points after 28 league fixtures matches strong previous campaigns. The Rossoneri have reached at least 60 points at this stage for the fourth time, after 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2021-22, with 2010-11 standing out at 61 points. The present run highlights comparable consistency across those seasons.

The derby success also extended Milan’s unbeaten sequence against Inter in all competitions to seven matches, with five wins and two draws. The club had lost the six meetings before that series. Milan last enjoyed a longer undefeated stretch in official derbies between November 2002 and April 2005, when they went ten matches without defeat.

The decisive contribution from Estupinan carried extra historical weight. The left-back became the first Ecuadorian player to score in any official derby between Milan and Inter. That landmark strike not only settled a tense contest but also added another detail to Derby della Madonnina history, linking this match to the rivalry’s long statistical record.

The wider sporting weekend also featured a notable cricket statistic highlighted by OptaJeev, involving Sanju Samson in the T20 World Cup final.

Allegri has repeatedly stated that Milan’s main season target is Champions League qualification, yet this derby win tightened the Serie A title picture. Inter still hold a seven-point cushion, but Milan’s derby form, defensive resilience and clinical moment from Estupinan ensure the Scudetto race remains active heading into the final weeks.

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