Milan snatched a draw from Inter

French striker Christopher Nkunku scored a late penalty to guide Milan to a 1-1 draw with rivals Inter Milan in a lackluster friendly match played in Perth, Australia, as both teams prepare for the new season. In front of 52,310 spectators, the Italian league champions, Inter, appeared to be on course to secure victory after Federico Dimarco scored from close range in the 52nd minute. However, Nkunku was fouled by Brazilian defender Carlos Augusto in the 84th minute, and he successfully converted the resulting penalty to salvage a draw for his side.

With this result, Milan’s new manager, Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim, continued his search for his first victory, having begun his tenure with a 2-2 draw against Celtic in a friendly played in Glasgow last month. Amorim was dismissed from his position at English club Manchester United in January before taking charge of Milan, aiming to restore the club’s prominence after a disappointing season in which they failed to qualify for the UEFA Champions League.

The Portuguese manager may be concerned about his players’ performance, as the team committed numerous errors and was fortunate to escape with a draw. On the other hand, Milan received a morale boost with the participation of veteran Croatian midfielder Luka Modrić in the final 30 minutes, following the extension of his contract for an additional year.

“It was good to get some playing time, and I felt in good shape,” Modrić said. “It is important to play matches like this in preparation for the season. I think we showed many positive aspects, and I hope we continue to develop.”

The match marked Milan’s first game since the death of their historic captain Franco Baresi, who wore the armband during the club’s golden era in the 1980s and 1990s. Both teams observed a minute of silence before kickoff, and the players lined up with linked arms in tribute to Baresi’s memory.