The Derby della Madonnina wrote a new chapter of emotion and intensity in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semifinals. Milan and Inter drew 1-1 in a duel that reflected the historic rivalry between the two teams. The Rossoneri took the lead through Tammy Abraham, but the Nerazzurri equalized thanks to a powerful strike from Hakan Calhanoglu. With this result, the tie is now wide open and the second leg promises to be a battle for a ticket to the final.
A Milan With Greater Ambition From The Start
Milan came into the game needing to prove that, despite their ups and downs this season, they can still compete on the big stage. The Coppa Italia has become their big chance to reach European competitions, and that urgency was reflected in the way they started the match. From the first minutes, the team coached by Sergio Conceicao looked for the opponent's goal with intensity.
Rafael Leao, back in the starting eleven, proved to be Milan's most influential player at the start. His speed and skill made it difficult for the Inter defense, which had to rely on Josep Martinez to prevent the Rossoneri from taking an early lead. The Inter goalkeeper made key interventions, including a great save from a dangerous Leao shot.
Milan's dominance resulted in the first goal of the match at the start of the second half. In the 47th minute, a loose ball in the box was seized upon by Tammy Abraham, who took a subtle cross-shot past Martinez. The celebrations at the San Siro reflected the importance of the goal, which put Milan ahead in the tie.
Inter Responds With Calm And Quality
Inter, far from despairing after the goal against, maintained their structure and began to take control of the match. Simone Inzaghi, aware that there was still a lot of time left, asked for patience from his players, who gradually tipped the balance in their favor.
The absence of Lautaro Martinez was felt in the Nerazzurri attack, but players like Joaquin Correa and Davide Frattesi tried to make up for his absence with mobility and danger in the opponent's area. However, Mike Maignan was solid in the Milan goal and prevented Inter from equalizing immediately.
The equalizer came in the 70th minute, courtesy of Hakan Calhanoglu. The Turkish midfielder, with his usual long-range ability, struck a powerful shot that left Maignan with no chance. It was a goal with special significance, as Calhanoglu, a former Milan player, scored again in a derby against his former team.
Madonnina derby in the semifinal of the #CoppaItalia! 🏆🇮🇹#InterMilan have won 6 of the last 10 head-to-heads against #ACMilan.
Will both teams score in the Milan Derby - predict now! ➡ https://t.co/HCS0drbkft pic.twitter.com/U4ylM2mcBL
- Betcris (@Betcris) April 2, 2025
A final stretch with a lot of intensity, but no more goals
With the score level, the match entered a phase in which both teams looked for the winning goal without losing defensive order. Milan tried to regain the lead through Leao and Abraham, while Inter opted for fresh players in attack. However, physical fatigue and caution meant that scoring chances became increasingly rare.
The 1-1 draw reflected the balance between the two teams and left the tie wide open for the second leg. While Milan are dreaming of winning the Coppa Italia to secure a place in European competitions, Inter are keeping alive their ambition of winning a treble with Serie A, the Champions League and the local cup.
The second leg of this semi-final promises to be a vibrant duel where neither team will be able to hold anything back. In a rivalry like the Derby della Madonnina, every detail counts, and the outcome of this story will be written in the next chapter.
