Milan's three goals came on far fewer chances than normal

Milan beat Inter 3-1 at San Siro with less of the ball and fewer chances, while Inter scored once despite a busy evening in front of goal.

Milan won at San Siro on a thinner attack than usual. Expected goals, or xG, measures how good a side's chances were by asking how often shots like each one go in, and Milan's figure for the night was 0.69. At home they usually reach 1.9, so they scored three from far less than their normal share of openings, and the win owed as much to finishing as to pressure.

The match was decided early. Christian Pulisic put Milan ahead after four minutes and Adrien Rabiot doubled the lead at ten, both set up by Diego Moreira. Alessandro Bastoni pulled one back for Inter at 22, but Moreira scored himself at 43 to restore a two-goal cushion before the break. He finished with a goal, two assists and the highest rating on the pitch, a 9, which tells you how much of the evening ran through him.

Milan had the ball for 44% of the match, well short of the 59.2% they usually keep at home, and they managed only 7 shots, against an average of 12.3. Four of those were on target, and three of the on-target efforts that went in came from Pulisic, Rabiot and Moreira, which is how a thin afternoon still ended with three goals. At 75 minutes VAR cancelled a penalty connected with Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and the score stayed where it was.

Inter had the bigger share of everything that does not end in a goal. They kept 56% of the ball, below the 63.3% they usually hold on the road, and still took 18 shots, 12 of them from inside the box, along with 11 corners to Milan's 3. Their xG of 1.79 was under the 2.5 they usually create away, though it stayed above the 1.51 that an average side in this league produces. Their goal return, one against an average of 2.8 when they travel, is the real gap in the scoreline.

Hakan Çalhanoğlu created five chances with his passing, the most of any Inter player with a rating on the pitch, while M. Akanji won six duels and fired three shots without one on target. At the other end, M. Maignan made seven saves and was rated 8.4, the sort of evening that keeps a clean sheet within reach of a side that has otherwise been stretched. Christian Pulisic also won five duels and completed three dribbles for Milan before being replaced at 82.

Discipline was tidy at the top end of the scale. Milan were booked twice, through De Winter and Moreira, and Inter once, when Carlos Augusto was shown a yellow card at 90 minutes. Inter committed 14 fouls to Milan's 8, which fits a side that spent long periods chasing the ball. Nobody was sent off.

Inter sit top of the table with 25 points from nine matches, while Milan are fifth on 18.

Player of the matchDiego Moreira1 goal · 2 assists9.0

M. Maignan7 saves8.4

A. Rabiot1 goal8.1

C. Pulišić1 goal7.8