AC Milan 1-1 Inter Milan: 5 hits and flops as Derby della Madonnina ends in stalemate | Serie A 2021-22

There was no separating AC Milan and Inter Milan in the 229th Derby della Madonnina on Sunday.

The two rivals played out a riveting Serie A game that ended in a 1-1 draw. Hakan Calhanoglu's penalty for Inter Milan was cancelled out by an own goal from Stefan de Vrij at the other end, although both sides will rue missed chances.

Lautaro Martinez saw a spot-kick saved by Ciprian Tatarusanu, while Ante Rebic and Franck Kessie came close to scoring for the Rossoneri late on. Alexis Saelemaekers' effort came off the post as Milan went for it in the final few minutes of normal time.

Inter, who've won five of their last six league derbies against Milan, saw one big miss from Hakan Calhanoglu. Meanwhile, Matteo Darmian's effort was cleared off the line by Fode Ballo-Toure. Although both sides looked for a win, they won't be too disappointed by the final result, considering how intense the game was.

Milan remain unbeaten after 11 games into the 2021-22 season, making it their best-ever start in the three-points era. They trail table-toppers Napoli (32 points) only on goal difference. Meanwhile, Inter are in third, trailing their city rivals by seven points.

On that note, here are five hits and flops from the Milan derby:

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Hit: Ciprian Tatarusanu (AC Milan)

With Maignon out for two more months, Tatarusanu can make the position his own.

Ciprian Tatarusanu was never the first-choice goalkeeper at Milan. But an injury to Mike Maignon has opened up a chance for him to make a case for the starting role. He has done a fine job thus far.

The Romanian international put up another solid display between the sticks for the Rossoneri. Tatarusanu wasn't afraid to charge out of his line to kick the ball away or make a high claim.

His best contribution, though, was to save Martinez's penalty. The former Lyon custodian guessed the right way to deny the Inter Milan striker, which eventually proved decisive on the night.

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Flop: Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)

The Argentine had a poor derby game.

Lautaro Martinez's penalty miss proved costly for the Nerazzurri. As a result, the holders couldn't end Milan's unbeaten domestic run and close the gap at the top of the table.

With Calhanoglu burying his spot-kick perfectly, Martinez stepped up for Inter Milan's second of the night. But it was a tame effort, with Tatarusanu diving the right way to make a save.

Even from open play, the Argentine striker failed to make any notable impact. The Inter Milan man's shots lacked venom to truly trouble the Milan, and also got dispossessed far too easily.

Hit: Hakan Calhanoglu (Inter Milan)

The Turkish talisman came back to haunt his former side.

Inter Milan's Hakan Calhanoglu came up against AC Milan for the first time since leaving the latter this summer. He made a fine impression against Milan, with an excellent performance.

He got the Nerazzurri in front with a nonchalantly dispatched penalty in a hostile atmosphere. Calhanoglu then broke into an ear-cupped celebration right in front of the Milan fans.

The Turkish playmaker didn't look back thereafter. He gave the Rossoneri a nightmare with his line-breaking runs. He also drew five fouls, and fought hard for the ball in midfield.

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Flop: Fode Ballo-Toure (AC Milan)

Ballo-Toure conceded Milan's second penalty of the night with a clumsy tackle on Matteo Darmian

The absence of Theo Hernandez gave him a chance to start against Inter Milan. But suffice to say, Fode Ballo-Toure was nowhere near his compatriot in terms of impact.

The pace of Inter Milan's wide players seemed to unsettle him. In a desperate tackle on Matteo Darmian, Ballo-Toure conceded a penalty, which was saved by Tatarusanu, though.

Considering it was only his fourth league start in a Milan shirt, the 24-year-old can be excused. But the game showed that he's still rough around the edges, and must play more to gain match-confidence.

However, Ballo-Toure made a fine goalline clearance to deny Darmian in what was a small moment of salvation for him.

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Hit: Matteo Darmian (Inter Milan)

Matteo Darmian shone bright for the Nerazzurri.

Denzel Dumfries is an excellent option on the right, but Matteo Darmian showed why Simone Inzaghi prefers him over the Dutchman.

Darmian's defensive ridigity and infectious work rate helped the Nerazzurri cope with plenty of Milan's attacks. The Italian made two interceptions and three tackles on the night.

Matteo Darmian, as aforesaid, also won a penalty, drawing a foul from Ballo-Toure as he barged into the area. His position in the defensive phases of play was also mostly spot-on.