Milan wins the 'Derby of Anger'

Milan settled the “Derby of Anger” with a 3-1 victory over defending champions Inter, handing them their first league defeat of the season and toppling them from the summit on Saturday at San Siro in the tenth round of the Italian Serie A.

Newly arrived Belgian winger Diego Moreira, who joined from French club Strasbourg for €58 million, established himself as the match’s standout figure with two decisive assists and a stunning goal from a direct free kick.

Milan took the lead and set the tone in the third minute when Moreira, cutting in from the right wing, delivered a cross that American defender Christian Pulisic headed into the right side of the net past Spanish goalkeeper Josep Martinez, celebrating in the best possible fashion by extending his contract with the Lombard club until 2031.

French international Adrien Rabiot doubled Milan’s advantage with a brilliant goal in the 10th minute. After receiving a pass from a corner taken by Moreira, Rabiot volleys with his left foot into the far left post and into the net (1-0). Alessandro Bastoni pulled one back for Inter with a close-range header from a corner in the 22nd minute.

However, Moreira restored Milan’s two-goal lead in the 43rd minute with a powerful free kick from outside the box that curled into the far left corner past goalkeeper Martinez (2-1).

The victory marked Milan’s sixth win of the season, moving them temporarily to fourth place with 21 points, one point behind Como, who host bottom-side Venezia. Milan now trail Inter Milan by four points after Inter lost the top spot on goal difference to Lazio, who host Cagliari.

Roma were the other beneficiaries of the matchday, securing a comprehensive 5-2 away win against Udinese, thereby tightening the grip on leaders Lazio and Inter by reducing the gap to just one point.

The capital club sealed the result in the first half with four goals, scored by Bryan Cristante (10th minute), Portuguese forward Rodrigo Mora (31st), Dutch winger Donny van de Beek (33rd), and Ivorian forward Ivan Neđić (37th). Defender Daniele Gelmi added a fifth in stoppage time (90+2). The visitors responded in the second half with goals from former Roma striker Nicolò Zaniolo (50th) and German forward Matteo Palma (78th).

Bologna continued their resurgence with a third consecutive victory, overturning a deficit to beat visitors Monza 2-1. This marks Bologna’s third straight win and fourth of the season, lifting them to 14 points and temporarily ninth place. Monza, meanwhile, suffered their third consecutive loss and seventh of the season, remaining on six points in 16th place.