Inter Milan have kept their hopes of qualifying for Europe alive, while simultaneously deciding the title race between their two fiercest rivals. AC Milan will not be winning the scudetto this season thanks to a brilliant performance by Inter Milan at the San Siro on Sunday night. The referee had a very eventful match and his most egregious error benefited the rossoneri, but Inter fought back to win 4-2 on the back of a Diego Milito hat trick.
Inter Vs. Milan, 2012 Serie A: Nerazzurri Win, Help Juve To Scudetto
Milito's first goal was an easy one, scored on a set piece in the first half and assisted by some very poor marking. He netted in the 14th minute, finishing off an assist by Walter Samuel, who hit a header into his path to set up a simple goal.
Just before the stroke of halftime, the referee granted a controversial penalty to Milan. Kevin-Prince Boateng drew it, though he certainly didn’t appeal to the referee to win it. While running into the box at Julio Cesar, he took a heavy touch that allowed Cesar to make a clearance without contacting him. The referee thought he saw a foul and granted a spot kick to Milan, which Zlatan Ibrahimovic converted to make it 1-1 at the break.
Milan took the lead just 30 second into the second half through one of the best goals of the Serie A season thus far. Ibrahimovic was the finisher with a couple of absolutely brilliant touches. His first touch on a pass from Robinho took him away from the Inter defense and put him into a great shooting position, and his second touch was a spectacular placed finish past Julio Cesar at the far post.
Seven minutes later, Inter found a surprise equalizer through a penalty kick. Ignazio Abate pulled on Milito's shoulder and the Argentinian went down easily, though it's hard to fault the referee for giving the spot kick. Abate certainly pulled on Milito from behind, and should have known better. Milito stepped up and converted for his second goal of the game, and would score the winner on yet another penalty. That one was given 79 minutes in for an Alessandro Nesta handball, and Milito scored to record the first hat trick in nearly 50 years in a Milan Derby.
Though the goal wasn't needed, Maicon put the exclamation point on Inter's performance with a goal that rivaled Ibrahimovic's open play strike for quality. From 25 yards out, the right back took a rip and blasted the ball past substitute goalkeeper Marco Amelia, who was forced into action by an injury to Christian Abbiati, to seal the win for Inter.
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