Remarkable Comeback: Milan Overturn 0-2 Deficit in Supercoppa Final Against Inter

In the first 45 minutes of this Supercoppa final, held once again in Riyadh, Inter coach Simone Inzaghi relied on the individual brilliance of his players. Despite a solid 2-0 semifinal win against Atalanta, the Nerazzurri didn’t perform particularly well.

Against a well-organized Rossoneri side, playing only their second match under new coach Sergio Conceição (following a 2-1 win over Juventus in the semifinals), the reigning Serie A champions struggled to create chances. The only early threat came from Lautaro Martinez, who was stopped by former Schalke defender Thiaw (6’).

Milan, for their part, created some dangerous opportunities of their own. Reijnders hit the side netting (10’), and shortly afterward, he missed the target from a good position after excellent control and a body feint (15’).

Deception, Shot, Goal

The first half was largely uneventful, save for a few isolated moments. Theo and Dumfries clashed in a heated exchange, highlighting the animosity between the two, and Dimarco forced a strong save from Milan keeper Maignan with a long-range effort (23’). Inter’s Calhanoglu was forced off with an injury against his former club (35’).

Just when it seemed the first half would end goalless, Inter struck. A quick throw-in in added time caught Milan’s defense off guard. Mkhitaryan surged forward and found Taremi, who set up Lautaro Martinez in the box. The Argentine World Cup winner feinted to create space and coolly slotted the ball into the bottom-right corner, leaving Maignan helpless (45’+1).

Riyadh Comes Alive
The Nerazzurri extended their lead immediately after the break. De Vrij launched a long ball that Thiaw misjudged, allowing Taremi to break free and calmly finish into the bottom-right corner (47’). However, Milan wasted no time responding. Coach Conceição brought on Rafael Leão, who won a promising free kick almost immediately. Theo converted with a precise low shot into the bottom-left corner, leaving Sommer with no chance (52’).

The game then turned into a breathtaking spectacle, with both teams exchanging chances at a frantic pace. Dimarco and Mkhitaryan went close to making it 3-1 (54’), while Thiaw and Reijnders forced saves from Sommer (55’, 62’). On the other side, substitute Carlos Augusto hit the post in a bizarre sequence (71’).

Pulisic Shines Despite Fatigue
Despite looking tired after his recent return from injury, Christian Pulisic became the hero of the night. First, the American scored a brilliant equalizer, slotting into the bottom-right corner after a setup by Theo (80’). Then, as a penalty shootout loomed, Pulisic delivered a perfectly weighted pass to Rafael Leão, who squared the ball for substitute Abraham to tap in for the dramatic 3-2 winner (90’+3).

Milan’s incredible second-half turnaround made the victory well-deserved, even though Dumfries came within inches of restoring Inter’s lead late on (84’).

With this win, Milan claim their first trophy of the season and show significant improvement under Conceição. Currently sitting eighth in Serie A with only 27 points, they next face Cagliari at home on Saturday (8:45 PM).

Meanwhile, Inter, who rarely squander such leads, remain in the league’s upper echelon and will look to bounce back when they visit Venezia on Sunday (3 PM).