Take a bow, Maignan! Magic Mike frustrates Inter as Milan scoop derby rights

The ex-Chile, Argentina, Sevilla, and Marseille (among others) manager, Jorge Sampaoli, became famous in the football world by his story of a man who had been trying to "pick up" a girl in a bar for the entire night, only to lose her to a richer, prettier, and more handsome guy.

Last night, Inter Milan were persistent, but experienced the fate of a poor man from Sampaoli's tale, as AC Milan were more concrete and stole the three points from Stadio Giuseppe Meazza - 1-0!

The Nerazzurri could have scored at least three goals before the break, hit the post twice, but luck and the unbelievable Mike Maignan kept the visitors alive.

Milan seized their only chance in the 54th minute, when Christian Pulisic broke the deadlock, but Inter's dominance continued.

The best chance for them came 20 minutes after the opener, when Hakan Calhanoglu tried to level from the spot, but Maignan once again turned into a "Magic Mike" and saved Milan's victory, which moved them to the second spot, dropping Inter to fourth Serie A place.

During the opening half of the 183rd league Derby della Madonnina, there was only one team on the pitch - Inter.

The ball was constantly near the Rossoneri's box, as they were "alive" at the break, just thanks to Mike Maignan and luck.

The Nerazzurri threatened dangerously three times in the first half, hit the woodwork twice, and ultimately failed to score.

Roma's winning recipe works again: Wolfess beats Cremonese to climb Serie A top

Four minutes into the game, Marcus Thuram was close to breaking the deadlock with a skillful header, but Maignan pulled off a fantastic save.

In the 27th minute, Hakan Calhanoglu took a corner kick, and Francesco Acerbi unleashed another strong header towards Milan's goal, but this time, it crashed against the post.

Finally, ten minutes later, Thuram headed the ball down for Lautaro Martinez, who fired instantly with a close-range volley, but Maignan and the post once again came to Massimiliano Allegri's team's rescue, keeping the rivals level at the break - 0-0.

And when Cristian Chivu's men wasted so many chances, they were punished! Nine minutes after the break, Milan broke the deadlock from their first two attempts on target.

Yann Sommer managed to deflect Alexis Saelemaekers' long-range effort, but the rebound came straight to Christian Pulisic, who easily passed the ball into the empty net, putting the Rossoneri in front!

However, Inter's offence continued and the atmosphere among the visitors' (in prospect) changed in the 74th minute, when the referee Simone Sozza pointed to the spot following Strahinja Pavlovic and Marcus Thuram's duel in the area.

Calhanoglu stepped up, but even he couldn't beat the incredible Frenchman between Milan's posts, as Maignan stopped his spot-kick effort!

Even that did not discourage the Nerazzurri, who kept threatening over all the offensive firepower Chivu had at his disposal, but Milan's fortress held out! Allegri recorded his 100th win on the Rossoneri's bench, which moved his team to second place just behind Roma, while Inter dropped to fourth position.

SERIE A - ROUND 12

Saturday

Cagliari - Genoa 3-3 (2-2)

/Borrelli 33, 60, Esposito 43 - Vitinha 18, Ostigard 41, Martin 83/

Udinese - Bologna 0-3 (0-0)

/Pobega 54, 59, Bernardeschi 90+4/

Fiorentina - Juventus 1-1 (0-1)

/Mandragora 48 - Kostic 45+4/

Napoli - Atalanta 3-1 (3-0)

/Neres 17, 38, Lang 45 - Scamacca 52/

Sunday

Verona - Parma 1-2 (0-1)

/Giovane 65 - Pellegrino 18, 80/

Cremonese - Roma 1-3 (0-1)

/Folino 90+3 Soule 17, Ferguson 64, Wesley 69/

Lazio - Lecce 2-0 (1-0)

/Guendouzi 29, Noslin 90+5/

Inter - Milan 0-1 (0-0)

/Pulisic 54/

Monday

20.30: (3.50) Torino (3.20) Como (2.30)

22.45: (2.05) Sassuolo (3.35) Pisa (3.80)

***odds are subject to change***