A defeat at the hands of your fiercest rivals on any given day is bad; a defeat at the hands of your fiercest rivals, who were down to ten men for the whole second half, with rumours swirling about your managerial future.... is atrocious.
Right from the get-go, Massimo Allegri looked like a man under Galliani sized pressure. The veins in his forehead were clearly visible in the second minute, when the smallest amount of contact from behind, left Cassano in a heap on the Meazza turf and with a costless kick stolen from the referee's pocket. From the resulting costless kick, Samuel proceeded to give Inter Milan the lead and pop every blood vessel inside the skull of Allegri. Cambiasso's set play was hit to the far post, where the last player in a line of Nerazzurri's, Walter Samuel, who was able to crouch down and head the ball high into the net from 3 yards.
Milito could have made it two just three minutes later, after some inexcusably lackadaisical play from Abbiati. His terrible attempted pass to Mexes, was easily intercepted by the on rushing Milito, but he was unable to convert this opportunity due to a wonderful recovery challenge from Mexes.
After this clear chance was missed, A.C Milan began to settle into the game. On the 14th minute Milan had their first important strike on goal through Italian international, Ricardo Montolivo. From fully 30 yards, Montolivo's strike left Handanovic with no hope of getting anywhere near the ball; but unfortunately for the Milan faithful and Allegri's heart rate, the ball curled narrowly wide of the bottom left hand corner.
Boateng also had two very promising openings in a lack lustre first half. His first opportunity came in the 30th minute, after Bonera was able to get in behind the Inter Milan defense on the right hand side of the field and pull the ball back to the edge of the penalty area. The on rushing Boateng however, was unable to get his effort on target. The second chance which fell to Boateng, was another which he should have converted. A fantastic tackle by Emanuelson on an unusually casual Juan, landed at the feet of Boateng, but he seemed to succumb to the magnitude of the occasion and rush his shot which sliced wide.
Whilst the first half began in the perfect fashion for Inter Milan; the start of the second half began in the exact opposite fashion. A handball by Nagatomo was harshly adjudged to be a bookable offence by referee, Paolo Valeri, and due to his booking in the first half, the Japanese international was sent for an early bath. The sending off of Nagatomo, completely changed the complextion of the game; Milan smelt blood, and attack Inter Milan whilst they were vulnerable.
Both sides reorganised after Nagatomo's red card, in preparation for the changing fronts of the second half battle. Cassano was sacrificed by Inter Milan for the more defensive minded Pereira, who could cover the position made vacant by Nagatomo; whilst A.C Milan brought on Robinho for De Sciglio, hoping that he could provide some much needed spark in the final third.
A.C Milan's first clear cut chance of the second half, like the first half, came from a long range effort by Montolivo. His shot this time however was on target, and parried away only as far Bojan by Handanovic. New signing Bojan got the ball under control and was able to find Boateng at the back post, but his audacious volley bounced wildy off the ground and over the bar.
Montolivo's long range exploits were the creator of Milan's clearest opportunity to draw level with their cross city rivals. Once again Handanovic was unable to catch the midfielder's effort and the fell to feet of Bojan, who looked certain to score until he slipped and became the momentary laughing stock of the Giuseppe Meazza.
The introduction of Pazzini mid-way through the half, almost proved to be a tactical masterstroke by Allegri. Two great chances fell the way of the former Inter man, both which he failed to get a telling connection on the ball when a goal seemed certain. Substitute Robinho, crossed the ball from the left hand side, into a dangerous area where Pazzini out-stretched leg was just unable to meet it. The final chance for Pazzini and Milan, came on the 79th minute after a wonderful knock down at the bak post by Robinho; Samuel's presence behind Pazzini 4 yards from goal meant that he failed connect with the ball.
This result leaves many A.C Milan fans to question Allegri and also Galliani; whose transfer policy seems to have rid his side of any quality up front.