Milan vs Inter: Nerazzurri take crucial first-leg advantage

A quick-fire double in the opening stages of the first-half helped Inter open a first-leg advantage over AC Milan.

Although they share a stadium, Milan were the official home team in the tie. A slow start by the hosts was punished by their ruthless neighbours who took a 2-0 lead into the second leg of their UEFA Champions League second-leg clash. 

Inter Milan came into the game off the back of a five-game winning run and has beaten their hosts twice since the turn of the year, in the Supercoppa Italiana final and in Serie A.

Their form and confidence were evident in their start to the game, and they had the upper hand early on. 

Their exploits were almost immediately rewarded, as they grabbed the opener before the 10th-minute mark. Edin Dzeko connected emphatically with a Hakan Calhanoglu cross, redirecting the ball's path towards the goal with his left foot from a corner kick, giving the visitors an eight-minute lead.  

About three minutes after the first, Simeone Inzaghi's men doubled their lead through incisive play. Frederico DiMarco's ground cross was dummied by Lautaro Martinez, leaving Henrikh Mkhitaryan to drive the ball through the heart of Milan's defence and subsequently beat Mike Maignan.

It nearly went from bad to worse for Stefano Pioli's men when Lautaro Martinez was awarded a penalty by the on-field referee, but VAR overruled the decision, sparing Milan the embarrassment. 

The hosts were much improved towards the end of the first half, and for periods in the second half, but Inter still looked more threatening when they attacked.  

The Nerazzurri will look to close out the tie in the second leg at the same stadium next week, this time as the official hosts, reaching their first Champions League final since 2010.