AC Milan 1-1 Inter Milan: 5 talking points as Derby della Madonnina ends all-square following a pulsating contest | Serie A 2021-22

The first Milan derby of the season ended in a share of the spoils as AC and Inter played out an entertaining 1-1 draw at the San Siro in Serie A.

Hakan Calhanoglu's penalty was canceled out by an own goal from Stefan de Vrij just six minutes later, although Lautaro Martinez then missed a spot-kick of his own.

Following an eventful first half, the sides appeared to lose steam after the break, although there were sporadic moments of goalmouth action at both ends.

Then, in the dying embers of normal time, the Rossoneri upped the ante but couldn't find a late winner, with Alexis Saelemaekers even hitting the post.

With the draw, AC Milan remain in second place and still unbeaten, while Inter are just behind them in third place.

Here are the major talking points from the 229th Milan derby:

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#5 A game of two halves

The second half only sprung to life late on

The Milan derby was truly a game of two halves. While the opening stanza was end-to-end and full of goal-mouth action, the second was a pale shadow of the same.

It was almost as if the sides were really content to take home a point each instead of going for the kill. The game's tempo slowed down drastically and chances were few and far between.

Creativity took a backseat, with caution taking precedence, but both sides took their turns to create spells of pressure and kept their shape right till the end.

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#4 Was Calhanoglu's penalty legitimate?

It was just an entanglement of the legs

Calhanoglu fired Inter in front with a nonchalant penalty kick through the middle in the 11th minute. While there was no question about his technique or finishing, there were certainly question marks over the legitimacy of the penalty itself.

The referee adjudged Franck Kessie to have fouled the Turkish international, while replays showed it was merely an entanglement of legs. Both players were in full motion when the contact happened, and it wasn't cynical on the part of the Ivorian.

Yet the moment will be a hot topic of controversy in the post-match columns, because regardless, it was a clear obstruction of Calhanoglu's movements, leaving it open to various interpretations

#3 Martinez's penalty miss proves costly

Martinez was a good chance from 12 yards to restore Inter's lead

Of course, he alone can't be blamed for Inter dropping points, but Martinez will be left to wonder what could have been had he dispatched his penalty in the first half.

Unlike their first spot-kick, this one was clear, with Fode Ballo-Toure cynically hacking down Matteo Darmian inside the box for a second Nerazzurri penalty inside the opening 25 minutes.

Martinez stepped up to take it this time and tried to slam it home low into the bottom left corner, but Tatarusanu guessed the right way, making a vital save.

Had the Argentine buried it, Inter could have walked away with all three points here.

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#2 Milan's late surge marred by wastefulness

Milan wasted some good chances at the end

No one team was better than the other here, with both Inter and Milan giving each other a hard time and having their moments in the game. But in the dying embers, the Rossoneri made a serious push for the winner.

Keeping possession and looking to open the Serpents with quick passes, the match was suddenly coming back to life again. Stefano Pioli's side were enjoying something of a second wind.

However, the side were guilty of missing a few chances. Ante Rebic missed twice in quick succession, while Ismael Bennacer fired against the post before Kessie slammed the rebound wide.

Four chances went begging in the space of three minutes!

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#1 Milan derby keeps getting better

AC and Inter Milan have risen again!

The Milan derby remains grossly underrated. It was once a footballing spectacle that no Serie A fan was ready to miss before it lost its sheen following their precipitious decline last decade.

But with the Nerazzurri now back to the pinnacle of Italian football and the Red Devils making their best-ever start to a league campaign this season, the rivalry is once again hitting its peak.

It certainly reflected in what was an enthralling game of football at the San Siro tonight, as AC and Inter Milan both played like they're contending for the title.

Derby della Madonnina should be on your watchlist hereafter.