Inter Milan and AC Milan played out a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Italian Cup semi-final on Wednesday, leaving the tie evenly poised ahead of the second leg later this month.
Hakan Calhanoglu ensured Inter went into the return fixture on level terms after his 67th-minute strike squeezed past Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan. The Turkish midfielder’s goal cancelled out Tammy Abraham’s impressive opener, which came just a minute into the second half following a quick turn and drilled finish.
“It was an even game. Milan had a few chances, and so did we, but in the second half, we played a bit better,” said Calhanoglu. “It was important not to lose today because we still have another match to play.”
Inter, the reigning Serie A champions and current league leaders, are chasing a treble this season, with a Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich on the horizon. Meanwhile, Milan, under pressure after their recent defeat to Napoli, sit ninth in Serie A, 20 points behind their city rivals and nine adrift of the Champions League spots.
“It was a good game against a difficult opponent. We had to play well defensively, and that’s what we did, so I’m happy,” said Milan coach Sergio Conceicao. “I’m happy with the approach, and we have to keep it up.”
The winner of the tie is likely to face Bologna in the final, after Vincenzo Italiano’s side eased past Empoli 3-0 in their semi-final first leg on Tuesday.
