In a thrilling Supercoppa Italiana final held at Al-Awwal Park Stadium in Riyadh, AC Milan staged an incredible comeback from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Inter Milan 3-2, ending their rivals’ dominance in the competition. The match was marked by the outstanding performance of Rafael Leao, who played a crucial role in all three of Milan’s goals.
The highly anticipated Derby della Madonnina saw Inter advance to the final after defeating Atalanta 2-0 in their semi-final, while Milan secured their spot with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Juventus in the debut match for new coach Sergio Conceicao. Both teams faced injury challenges, with Inter missing key players like Marcus Thuram and Joaquin Correa, while Mehdi Taremi stepped into the starting lineup. Rafael Leao was initially on the bench due to fitness concerns.
The first half saw Inter take control of the match. Lautaro Martinez opened the scoring just before halftime, capitalizing on a quick throw-in that caught Milan off guard. He cut inside and fired a shot through Theo Hernandez’s legs into the net, marking his fourth Supercoppa goal and equaling Paulo Dybala’s record.
Just after the break, Taremi doubled Inter’s lead with a well-placed shot following a long ball, putting Milan in a precarious position. However, the introduction of Leao changed the dynamics of the game. He earned a free kick that Theo Hernandez expertly curled around the wall to bring Milan back into contention.
Despite several missed opportunities, including a crucial block by Inter’s Bastoni and a desperate save from goalkeeper Yann Sommer, Milan continued to press for an equalizer. Their persistence paid off when Leao assisted Christian Pulisic, who turned and finished low into the far corner from inside the box.
With time running out and the score tied at 2-2, Milan found themselves with one last chance in stoppage time. Leao sprinted down the right flank and delivered a precise cross for substitute Tammy Abraham, who tapped in from close range to secure an astonishing victory for Milan.
Goals: Lautaro Martinez 45 (I), Taremi 46 (I), Theo Hernandez 52 (M), Pulisic 80 (M), Abraham 93 (M)
Inter (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck, De Vrij (84′ Darmian), Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella (84 Frattesi), Calhanoglu (34′ Asllani), Mkhitaryan (65′ Zielinski), Dimarco (65′ Carlos Augusto); Taremi, Lautaro Martinez.
Milan (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Emerson Royal (86′ Calabria), Tomori, Thiaw, Theo Hernandez; Musah (76′ Loftus-Cheek), Fofana; Jimenez (49′ Leao), Reijnders (76′ Abraham), Pulisic; Morata.
