Historic Penalty Save Seals Milan Derby Victory
In a dramatic Milan derby that will be remembered for years to come, Mike Maignan wrote himself into Serie A history by becoming the first goalkeeper ever to save a penalty from Inter Milan's Hakan Calhanoglu. The French international's heroic stop preserved AC Milan's 1-0 lead and secured all three points in this fiercely contested encounter at San Siro.
The moment of truth arrived in the 73rd minute when referee Simone Sozza awarded Inter a penalty after reviewing VAR footage showing Strahinja Pavlovic treading on Marcus Thuram's foot inside the box. All eyes turned to Calhanoglu, who had established himself as one of Serie A's most reliable penalty takers.
Maignan's Psychological Masterstroke
What followed was a display of goalkeeping brilliance combined with psychological warfare. Rather than adopting conventional positioning, Maignan employed unorthodox tactics, standing noticeably off-centre towards the opposite side of where Calhanoglu typically places his penalties.
The Turkey international had built an impressive record of 27 successful penalties from 28 attempts for Inter, plus three from three during his time with Milan. His only previous miss came against Napoli last year when he struck the post, but no goalkeeper had ever managed to make a save until Maignan's intervention.
Speaking in the Dazn TV studio, Italian goalkeeping legend Gianluigi Buffon expressed his admiration: "I would have taken the same position Maignan did, but I don't know if I would have been able to make the save!"
Inter's Frustration and Milan's Efficiency
The penalty save capped an outstanding individual performance from Maignan, who had already made several crucial saves to keep Inter at bay. The Nerazzurri dominated large periods of the match, creating more than twice as many attempts on goal as their rivals with several high-quality opportunities.
Marcus Thuram saw a diving header clawed away by Maignan at full stretch, while Francesco Acerbi watched his header crash off the woodwork. Lautaro Martínez volleyed powerfully only to see the Milan goalkeeper somehow push his effort onto the frame of the goal.
By contrast, Milan demonstrated ruthless efficiency in front of goal. The breakthrough came in the 54th minute when Youssouf Fofana won two midfield challenges before striding forward and squaring to Alexis Saelemaekers. Although the Belgian slipped as he shot, Yann Sommer could only push the effort into the path of Christian Pulisic, who swept home the rebound.
Broader Implications for Serie A Title Race
The victory propelled Milan to second place in Serie A, while Inter dropped to fourth in what is proving to be an intensely competitive title race. With almost a third of the season completed, just three points separate Roma in first from Bologna in fifth.
For Inter manager Christian Chivu, this defeat continues a worrying trend in high-profile matches. Since last season, Inter have won just two of their twelve league games against Napoli, Juventus, Roma, and Milan, losing six of those encounters.
Massimiliano Allegri, Milan's manager, acknowledged the significance of the victory while emphasising the need for continued development: "It's a process. We will continue to grow." His tactical approach, often criticised for being overly cautious during his previous tenure at Juventus, proved perfectly executed on this occasion.
The result also highlighted ongoing concerns for both clubs regarding their goalkeeping situations. While Sommer has faced criticism for declining standards at 36, Maignan's contract situation looms large with his current deal expiring at the end of the season. Performances like this derby display will only increase his value and importance to the Milan cause.
