AC Milan 2 Inter 2: Perisic pounces late to snatch a point for Pioli

Ivan Perisic scored a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser as Inter salvaged a 2-2 derby draw against AC Milan in Stefano Pioli’s first match in charge of the Nerazzurri.

Inter had the better of the first half, but Suso scored three minutes before the break with a fine strike.

The Spaniard looked to have won it when he again gave Milan the lead, following Antonio Candreva’s thumping equaliser early in the second period.

But Perisic tapped home in the second minute of added time to claim a thrilling point after Samir Handanovic had been sent up for a corner in a dramatic finale, with Pioli running on to the pitch in celebration.

Milan could have gone up to second in Serie A, but instead stay third after failing to take full advantage of Roma’s slip-up against Atalanta earlier on Sunday.

Pioli, meanwhile, will hope the dramatic avoidance of a sixth league defeat of the season will help him lead Inter up the table – they now sit ninth and remain eight points adrift of Vincenzo Montella’s third-placed side.

Milan had an early penalty claim denied when M’Baye Niang went down under pressure from Gary Medel, who was back in the Inter team after suspension as one of the three changes.

Perisic shot straight at Gianluigi Donnarumma for Pioli’s men, before the Croatia international missed an even better opportunity by diverting his diving header inches wide after a superb run and cross from Danilo D’Ambrosio to create the opportunity.

Geoffrey Kondogbia – another of the players to return to Inter’s team – was just off-target with a header of his own, while Perisic could not convert from yet another opportunity in the air.

Medel limped off with injury prior to half-time but Inter continued to dominate, Mauro Icardi striking poorly wide after Candreva’s scuffed shot fell into his path.

Milan were without the injured Alessio Romagnoli and they threatened little until strikes from Mattia De Sciglio and Carlos Bacca tested Handanovic.

But it was Montella’s men who took the lead when Giacomo Bonaventura drove forward and found Suso, with the attacking midfielder incisively cutting inside from the right and curling a fine effort into the far corner.

In a bright start to the second half, Bonaventura had an effort deflected narrowly wide, but it was Inter who got the game’s second goal through Candreva after 53 minutes.

After Milan complaints they should have had a throw-in were ignored, Perisic found Candreva and he took the ball in his stride before unleashing a superb dipping strike into the top corner.

But Milan responded five minutes later after Bacca had made ground down the right. The striker then found Suso in the area and he breezed past a flat-footed Miranda before calmly slotting into the corner for his fourth league goal of the campaign.

Perisic volleyed inches wide after a clever chip from Candreva to set him up, but the winger would have the last say, ghosting onto Kondogbia’s flick-on from a corner to snatch a share of the spoils.

KEY OPTA STATS

– Suso is the second Spanish player (first for AC Milan) to score a goal in a Milan derby in Serie A since Luis Suarez.
– Suso has been directly involved in 5 of AC Milan’s last 6 Serie A goals, scoring three and assisting two.
– The previous two players to score 2+ goals in a Milan derby in Serie A were Ibrahimovic and Milito in May 2012.
– Antonio Candreva has now scored two goals in nine Serie A derbies played, eight against Roma.
– Inter have claimed nine points from losing positions this season, more than any other side.
– Inter have scored eight goals in the last 15 minutes of play, a joint-high along with Roma.