Inter beat Milan to take control of semi-final tie

Edin Dzeko, 37, scored his fourth goal in this season's Champions League

Inter Milan took a big step towards reaching the Champions League final as they beat their city rivals in a thrilling Milan derby at San Siro.

In a game that had been anticipated for weeks in Italy and was witnessed at the ground by a vocal and passionate 80,000-strong crowd, Inter made the perfect start when Edin Dzeko volleyed home in the eighth minute.

The goal silenced the Milan fans - the designated home side for this tie in the stadium the two sides share - as they significantly outnumbered the Inter supporters.

And the hosts were stunned further three minutes later when Henrikh Mkhitaryan swept a shot beyond Mike Maignan after being set up by Federico Dimarco.

Hakan Calhanoglu hit the woodwork as Inter threatened to get a third, but there was hope for AC Milan when referee Jesus Gil Manzano reversed a decision to award the visitors a penalty, deeming Lautaro Martinez to have dived after consulting the pitchside monitor.

Inter dropped their tempo in the second half as they looked to protect their two-goal advantage and it almost presented AC Milan with a lifeline as Sandro Tonali struck the post with a shot from the edge of the box.

But Inter held firm and are in a strong position to reach the final - where they will face either Manchester City or Real Madrid - when the two sides meet again at San Siro for the second leg on Tuesday, 16 May (20:00 BST).

Inter take big step to end long wait

Inter Milan are three times winners of the European Cup or Champions League, but have not reached the final since they last lifted the trophy 13 years ago.

This is the furthest they have been in the competition since then and, despite the intimidating atmosphere created by the overwhelming number of AC Milan fans, they were determined to push on.

Inter boss Simone Inzaghi opted for the 37-year-old Dzeko to lead the attack, with Romelu Lukaku on the bench, and it didn't take long for that decision to be vindicated as the former Manchester City striker steered home a brilliant finish from a corner.

AC Milan knocked Tottenham and Serie A champions Napoli out of the Champions League on their way to the semi-finals but looked capable of being opened up by Inter with every attack and would have been pleased to reach half time just 2-0 down.

They were better after the break but did not manage a shot on target until the 81st minute - a deflected Junior Messias effort - and will need to be much, much better if they are to deny Inter a place in the Champions League final.

Player of the match

DzekoEdin Dzeko

AC Milan

Squad number27Player nameOrigi

Squad number19Player nameHernández

Squad number9Player nameGiroud

Squad number16Player nameMaignan

Squad number24Player nameKjaer

Squad number23Player nameTomori

Squad number2Player nameCalabria

Squad number8Player nameTonali

Squad number10Player nameDíaz

Squad number33Player nameKrunic

Squad number30Player nameJunior Messias

Squad number4Player nameBennacer

Squad number20Player nameKalulu

Squad number56Player nameSaelemaekers

Squad number32Player namePobega

Squad number28Player nameThiaw

Inter Milan

Squad number9Player nameDzeko

Squad number22Player nameMkhitaryan

Squad number90Player nameLukaku

Squad number23Player nameBarella

Squad number10Player nameLa Martínez

Squad number20Player nameÇalhanoglu

Squad number95Player nameBastoni

Squad number2Player nameDumfries

Squad number32Player nameDimarco

Squad number15Player nameAcerbi

Squad number36Player nameDarmian

Squad number6Player namede Vrij

Squad number77Player nameBrozovic

Squad number5Player nameGagliardini

Squad number11Player nameCorrea

Squad number24Player nameOnana

Line-ups

AC Milan

Formation 4-2-3-1

16Maignan

2Calabria24Kjaer23Tomori19Hernández

33Krunic8Tonali

10Díaz4Bennacer56Saelemaekers

9Giroud

16Maignan2CalabriaSubstituted forKaluluat 82'minutes24KjaerSubstituted forThiawat 59'minutes23TomoriBooked at 64mins19Hernández33KrunicBooked at 45mins8Tonali10DíazSubstituted forPobegaat 82'minutes4BennacerSubstituted forMessiasat 18'minutes56SaelemaekersSubstituted forOrigiat 60'minutes9Giroud

Substitutes

5Ballo-Touré12Rebic20Kalulu27Origi28Thiaw30Messias32Pobega46Gabbia83Mirante90De Ketelaere92Nava

Inter Milan

Formation 3-5-2

24Onana

36Darmian15Acerbi95Bastoni

2Dumfries23Barella20Çalhanoglu22Mkhitaryan32Dimarco

10La Martínez9Dzeko

24Onana36Darmian15Acerbi95Bastoni2Dumfries23Barella20ÇalhanogluSubstituted forGagliardiniat 78'minutes22MkhitaryanBooked at 45minsSubstituted forBrozovicat 63'minutes32DimarcoSubstituted forde Vrijat 71'minutes10La MartínezSubstituted forCorreaat 78'minutes9DzekoSubstituted forLukakuat 70'minutes

Substitutes

1Handanovic5Gagliardini6de Vrij8Gosens11Correa12Bellanova14Asllani21Cordaz33D'Ambrosio46Zanotti77Brozovic90LukakuReferee:Jesús Gil ManzanoAttendance:75,532